Lewis Hamilton's emphatic maiden victory for Ferrari at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has reignited speculation about a record eighth drivers' championship.
The 41-year-old finished nearly 20 seconds ahead of George Russell in the Mercedes, demonstrating his enduring talent with the right machinery.
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However, Hamilton trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 41 points.
The Mercedes driver has won five consecutive races, and no driver in history has failed to take the title after such a streak.
Ferrari's strategy and car performance
Ferrari's three-stop strategy in Barcelona allowed Hamilton to pull away on fresher tyres, exploiting tyre degradation to his advantage.
The team's cornering performance was widely praised, with Lando Norris noting that Ferrari is "the class of the field" in that area.
Yet Hamilton's weekend started slowly; he was ninth in second practice and 0.702 seconds off the pace in third practice.
He admitted surprise at his qualifying pace that nearly secured pole.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur downplayed title talk, emphasizing a race-by-race approach.
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"The approach is to go to Austria exactly with the same approach as in Barcelona, and not to think about the championship," he said.
Mercedes internal dynamics and future regulations
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged Hamilton as a threat, saying "it's wide open."
The growing rivalry between Antonelli and Russell could benefit Hamilton, as Wolff noted the risk of the Mercedes pair holding each other up.
Looking ahead, the new ADUO system grants Ferrari two upgrade opportunities in 2026 compared to Mercedes' one, based on current performance.
This could further close the gap.
The next race is in Austria, followed by the British Grand Prix on 6 July.
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McLaren team principal Andrea Stella assessed that Ferrari is fastest in corners, while Mercedes has the best overall car over a single lap.
