Formula 1 saw Lewis Hamilton finally take a podium with Ferrari at the 2026 Chinese GP, ending a long wait and in a race that the Briton himself defined as one of the most enjoyable of his career. The seven-time champion finished the race in the top three after a busy end to the race, marked by intense battles with Charles Leclerc and the strength of Mercedes in Shanghai.
Read more F1: 2026 Chinese GP has records, broken droughts and surprises
The result carried extra weight for breaking an uncomfortable streak for Hamilton. The podium in China came after 26 races for the Italian team, ending the longest streak of his career without finishing a Grand Prix in the top three with the Scuderia.
After the race, Hamilton also made a point of highlighting the moment Mercedes is experiencing. The Briton shared the podium with Kimi Antonelli, a first-time winner in Formula 1, with George Russell and also with Peter “Bono” Bonnington, his former race engineer.
“First, I have to give huge congratulations to Kimi,” Hamilton told F1 TV. “I’m very, very happy for you, and it’s an honor to be able to share this moment with him,” said the driver, also recalling the symbolic connection between the two.
Hamilton highlighted that Antonelli took his place at Mercedes and took the opportunity to praise his former team. “He took my seat in this great team, so congratulations to Mercedes. They are really excelling at the moment, and we have a lot of work to do to try and keep up with them,” he said.
Still, the Briton’s main focus after the race was on the fight he had with Leclerc in the final laps. The two Ferrari drivers engaged in a direct battle for the final podium spot, swapping positions and even touching cars at one point.
Hamilton described the race as a special experience. “I had a lot of fun. We had a great start. I couldn’t hold those guys ahead, but staying in the fight made this one of the most enjoyable races I’ve had in a long, long time, maybe even in my entire career,” he said.
Read more Verstappen issues harsh warning and says rules could ruin F1
The Briton also praised the type of racing provided by this season’s cars. For him, the duel with Leclerc showed exactly the type of competition that drivers want to see in Formula 1.
“The battle with Charles at the end was incredible. A great wheel-to-wheel fight, very fair, exactly what we want,” he said. Hamilton acknowledged that there was a small touch between the two, but treated the incident as something natural within a tough battle.
“I think there was a moment where we touched, but it was subtle, just a kiss, so it’s fine. That’s what it’s about, hard racing,” commented the seven-time champion.
Finally, Hamilton thanked Ferrari’s work for putting him in a position to fight for the podium. At the same time, he made it clear that the team’s goal is still beyond the third place achieved in Shanghai.
“I have to say a big thank you to everyone at Ferrari for putting us in this position. I know it’s not exactly where we want to be, we want to be up there at the front where those guys are. But we have a good foundation to work on and now we need to keep pushing,” he concluded.
Read more F1: Audi on Bortoleto’s retirement in China: «We will investigate to understand the problem»
