2016 Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg believes Lewis Hamilton’s “spectacular” Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix victory will propel the 41-year-old to even greater heights in the 2026 championship battle.

Following a blockbuster switch to Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton initially endured a challenging start to his much-anticipated career in Maranello. After adapting to the new team in 2025, he has bounced back in 2026. His win in Barcelona followed back-to-back second-place finishes in Canada and Monaco, and a third-place finish in China.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 following the race, Rosberg, who raced alongside Hamilton at Mercedes from 2013 to 2016, explained: “I can honestly enjoy it with him. And I just congratulated him. I was very happy to congratulate him because it’s awesome.

“I really felt for the struggles he went through as he started his time with Ferrari. It was horrible to watch. And now he’s just thriving so well and flying, and confident, and enjoying it, and that’s just awesome. This win is historic. It’s spectacular. So, a great day for him, for the sport.”

According to Rosberg, this newfound momentum is exactly what makes Hamilton so dangerous for the remainder of the season.

“He’s also entering into this positive flywheel,” the former Mercedes driver added. “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. So it’s an incredible momentum at the moment over there.”

Hamilton, who currently sits second in the drivers’ championship, has closed the gap in the standings after his win in Barcelona. The seven-time champion is now 41 points behind Kimi Antonelli, who was forced to retire with car issues. Antonelli’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell is third, nine points behind Hamilton.

The eighth round of the season will be the Austrian Grand Prix from 26-28 June.