'Nothing is impossible' - is Hamilton's title challenge now on?

Lewis Hamilton says "nothing is impossible" in terms of winning this year's F1 world title after his first race victory for Ferrari in the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix turbocharged his 2026 resurgence.

Hamilton ended his wait for a first Grand Prix win as a Ferrari driver - and near-two-year wait for a record-extending 106th career victory - since his arrival at F1's most-famous team last year in emphatic style on Sunday with a triumph that married impressive pace and tyre management with the fortune of a well-timed Virtual Safety Car.

With Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli retiring from second place late on, Hamilton clawed the full 25 points for his race win back on the Italian's lead in the title race. Second-placed Hamilton is now 41 points behind with 15 races of what stands as a 22-race campaign still to go.

Barcelona-Catalunya GP result | F1 2026 standings | F1 2026 Calendar

Download the Sky Sports app for expert analysis, best video & more📱

Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺

Seven-time champion Hamilton has not challenged for the world title since 2021 but his and Ferrari's momentum appears to be growing having arrived in Barcelona on the back of consecutive second-place finishes.

Hamilton told Sky Sports F1: "I think it's just the beginning. Mercedes have got an amazing package and they're so strong. Both drivers are doing such an incredible job.

"It's going to take absolutely everything from all of us in this team to overcome the deficit and to get to being ahead of them and doing this consistently.

"But nothing is impossible, so just one step at a time."

Also See:

F1 in 2026: The full race schedule

Stream every F1 race with no contract

Listen to The F1 Show podcast

Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp

Monterosa

This content is provided by Monterosa, which may be using cookies and other technologies.

To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.

You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Monterosa cookies or to allow those cookies just once.

You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.

Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Monterosa cookies.

To view this content you can use the button below to allow Monterosa cookies for this session only.

Antonelli, Mercedes see title threat from 'incredible' Ferrari

Hamilton had arrived in Barcelona as Antonelli's nearest challenger in the standings for the first time this season after he had moved ahead of Russell last week in Monaco.

Antonelli, whose run of five consecutive wins came to an end on Sunday, is in no doubt Hamilton and Ferrari are in the hunt.

"For sure, they're in incredible form. Ferrari is very reliable, but they're quick as well," said Antonelli.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

"We just need to maximise every opportunity that we have and then try to do our best, but it's not going to be straightforward."

Toto Wolff, Hamilton's former team boss at Mercedes, agreed that his two drivers had company at the front in the hunt for 2026's world crown.

"There is now a third party getting involved in the championship fight, both constructor and driver," said the Mercedes team principal.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Hamilton focused on closing gap to Mercedes

Hamilton said he will not be getting ahead of himself given the strength of his former team, who had won all six of the season's previous races and remain unbeaten for Grand Prix pole positions in 2026.

Speaking in the press conference when asked whether the dream of winning a record eighth world title was still alive this year, Hamilton said: "Well, honestly, with the way that the year started out, I have not really been thinking about it like that. I've not been thinking about an eighth.

"Of course, what we had worked towards has been being able to win, but I've always been conscious of the fact that it takes time. And Mercedes have come out the gates with a blistering car and blistering pace, both drivers doing such a great job.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

"We know we have this power deficit. There's going to be tracks where we go to with long, long straights where that makes it even harder. But as I said, we've got a great car at the core and if we keep adding performance and we can go through the corners quicker, maybe we can narrow that deficit down a little bit until we improve or until we close the gap on power.

"Very, very hard to think long-term at the moment. I think it's just about taking it one race at a time, one week at a time."

'They will be under pressure from Hamilton' - the Sky Sports pundits' view

Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion:

"He is in the title fight.

"We can see that things can go wrong. The pace is there, so it doesn't take much and we don't know how the other two drivers will be under pressure from Lewis Hamilton."

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion:

"You get positive results, you get more motivated, you get happier, you work harder.

"So this is going to propel him even higher, together with his team. It's an incredible momentum over there.

"All these ducks are falling into place at the moment, and that's what it takes to win races in F1.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

"They improved the car. They brought a lot of upgrades here this weekend. Eight different parts of the car are new and he is mentally in an awesome place.

"He's beating his team-mate. The others are struggling a little bit with different things, so it's all coming together, which is amazing."

Formula 1's European season continues with the Austrian Grand Prix on June 26-28, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime