Yet that quickly faded through a difficult first season, one that Hamilton described as a nightmare and left him questioning his own abilities as he failed to score a single podium finish all year.

Seven-time world champion proves ‘you always have it’ as he moves to within 41 points of championship leader Kimi Antonelli

It was a vintage performance by Hamilton, who won by 19 seconds to claim his first race win since the Belgian Grand Prix in 2024, and his first victory in the Ferrari red.