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Lando Norris believes Lewis Hamilton's first Ferrari victory in Barcelona has silenced a year's worth of online criticism, telling media after the race that the seven-time world champion can now answer those who questioned whether he still belonged at the top level. Hamilton's 105th career win came after a winless 2025 debut season with Ferrari that saw him miss the podium entirely and face sustained scrutiny over his form at 41 years old.
The McLaren driver finished third behind Hamilton and George Russell, completing the first all-British podium since 1968. Speaking to RacingNews365 and other media, Norris framed the result not just as a sporting achievement but as vindication for a driver who endured months of public doubt following early qualifying exits and underwhelming race pace in Ferrari red.
"I'm especially happy for him," Norris said. "You could see from everything how much this victory meant to him. Of course I don't hope he's this fast every race, because then we'll have trouble, but he absolutely deserves this moment."
A season of doubt
Hamilton's 2025 Ferrari move was billed as one of the boldest late-career gambles in recent F1 history. Instead, it delivered a difficult debut season. The Briton failed to reach a single Grand Prix podium and regularly found himself out of position in qualifying. Social media became a particularly harsh environment, with open questioning of whether age and adaptation struggles had finally caught up with the sport's most decorated modern driver.
Norris, who grew up watching Hamilton dominate the sport, acknowledged the weight of that criticism. "He's had an enormous amount of negative reactions over the past year. A lot of people wrote him off and tore him down online. So it's good that he can now show they were wrong."
Ferrari's development breakthrough
Barcelona represented more than personal redemption for Hamilton. Ferrari arrived with a substantial upgrade package that appears to have corrected the development missteps that plagued their 2025 campaign. Hamilton qualified strongly and controlled the race, suggesting the Scuderia has finally found the direction needed to challenge Mercedes in the constructors' fight.
The win reduces Ferrari's championship deficit and positions Hamilton, now with momentum and a car beneath him, as a credible threat in the second half of the season. Norris noted Hamilton's recent form surge across multiple race weekends, not just Barcelona, as evidence the 41-year-old retains the speed that defined his Mercedes years.
British podium adds historical layer
The all-British podium gave the result added significance. Norris called it "a special moment for all of us" and acknowledged the rarity of three British drivers sharing the rostrum in the modern era. Yet he was clear that Hamilton's comeback narrative overshadowed the historical footnote.
"This is something special," Norris said of the podium composition. "But especially Lewis's performance stands out. He's a seven-time world champion and it remains impressive to see him succeed. That he's now achieving this with Ferrari only makes it more remarkable."
Ferrari now enters the summer stretch with renewed confidence, a driver in form, and a car that finally responds to development. Hamilton's critics, meanwhile, have their answer
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