Hamilton Becomes Oldest Grand Prix Winner in 56 Years with Ferrari Breakthrough
Lewis Hamilton’s breakthrough Ferrari victory at Barcelona-Catalunya did more than end a long wait. It placed him into one of Formula 1’s most exclusive statistical categories, making him the oldest grand prix winner for 56 years.
Hamilton was 41 years, 5 months and 7 days old on race day when he claimed his first win for Ferrari, ending a 686-day gap since his previous victory for Mercedes at the 2024 Belgian GP. The result was the 106th grand prix win of his career and immediately became one of the defining numbers of his Ferrari chapter.
For a closer look at how the Barcelona race was won, read our analysis of Hamilton and Ferrari’s bold strategy in Barcelona.
A rare win for a driver in his 40s
Hamilton’s Barcelona success made him the first driver in his 40s to win a world championship grand prix since Nigel Mansell at the 1994 Australian GP. It also made him the oldest winner since Jack Brabham took his 14th and final victory at the 1970 South African GP, aged 43 years, 11 months and 5 days.
That places Hamilton seventh on the all-time list of oldest grand prix winners. The symmetry is striking: he also sits eighth on the list of youngest drivers to win a grand prix, having taken the 2007 Canadian GP at 22 years, 5 months and 3 days. His Barcelona win came almost exactly 19 years after that first triumph.
To surpass the outright oldest-winner record, Hamilton would need to compete in and win any race after January 30, 2038. That would move him beyond Luigi Fagioli’s benchmark of 53 years, 0 months and 22 days, set at the 1951 French GP.
Ferrari milestones and a British podium sweep
Hamilton also became the 41st different driver to win a world championship grand prix for Ferrari. The team’s Barcelona victory was its 249th in Formula 1, while it marked the 250th win for a Ferrari engine. The exception in that count remains Sebastian Vettel’s victory for Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso at the 2008 Italian GP.
The podium carried its own historical weight. Hamilton was joined by George Russell and Lando Norris, creating the first all-British podium since the 1968 United States GP, when Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and John Surtees filled the top three positions.
It was also the first time since the 1983 San Marino GP that one nationality had swept a Formula 1 podium, after Patrick Tambay, Alain Prost and Rene Arnoux achieved the feat for France.
Ciara Gillan
Ciara is a Dublin native, award-winning film producer, podcaster and writer with 20 years of storytelling experience. A lifelong Leinster and Ireland rugby fan, she turned her attention to the grid after moving to Berlin and co-founding Formula Live Pulse. Now, she applies her producer’s brain to Formula 1, navigating the highs of Oscar Piastri’s rise and the unique stress of being an adopted Ferrari fan. She loves talking and talking about F1, if you give her the chance!