The World Cup explodes at Montmeló

BarcelonaIt had been two years since Lewis Hamilton last stood on the top step of the podium. The last time was at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, when he was still driving for Mercedes. Since the Englishman signed for Ferrari, there has been no way to be truly competitive. He even struggled to overtake his teammate. A bad streak that has been broken at Montmeló, in a Grand Prix marked by nostalgia, uncertainty, and plot twists. A race that marks a turning point in the World Championship, which is tightening up again. "You helped me achieve this. I don't have enough words to thank you. It wouldn't have been possible without you," said an emotional Hamilton, who achieved his 106th victory in Formula 1.

Montmeló hosted the last race before the alternation. There will be no Grand Prix in 2027, and we will have to wait until 2028, 2030, and 2032. But the event will be remembered for a long time. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) continues to lead the competition with a comfortable lead, 156 points, but his retirement due to a reliability issue weakens him, while Hamilton's triumph – his seventh in Catalonia, surpassing the six of the legendary Michael Schumacher – relaunches him in the title fight, accumulating 115 points and showing a progression from slow to fast. George Russell (Mercedes), second in the race with 106 points, also emerges strengthened.

The race gained excitement as the laps went by. Not much happened at the beginning. Poleman Russell led the race, waiting for the first pit stops. Midway through the race, the Mercedes drivers, Russell and Antonelli, began a fight for first place that cost them time. Meanwhile, Hamilton, who seemed out of contention with two tire changes, began an impressive comeback, driving like a metronome, even going faster than his Ferrari engineers had predicted. With twenty laps to go, the Englishman benefited from a virtual safety car and took the lead, but the reality is that he would have won anyway without this stroke of luck, because the final margin was overwhelming. Antonelli, when he was second, had a mechanical problem and retired, which led to Russell's second place finish and an unexpected podium for Lando Norris (McLaren).

Fernando Alonso retires in what is "probably" his last Grand Prix at Montmeló

The cross of the day was Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), who, as he himself had said, was "very probably" competing in his last race in Montmeló. The Asturian, who has been struggling at the back of the grid all season, was forced to retire due to an electrical problem. A back-door farewell that does not deserve one of the few drivers who has always defended that F1 should never have left Catalonia.