FRED VASSEUR: LEWIS HAMILTON WOULD HAVE WON BARCELONA GP WITHOUT VSC HELP

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur asserts Lewis Hamilton would have won the Spanish Grand Prix even without the Virtual Safety Car. Ferrari's aggressive three-stop strategy for Hamilton paid dividends, particularly his searing pace on the medium tires. After his second stop, Hamilton carved nearly 11 seconds off the gap to the leading Mercedes in just nine laps, highlighting his dominant speed.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff concurred, admitting Hamilton was "the quickest" and would have been "very tricky to hold him behind." Wolff also flagged internal concerns regarding George Russell and Kimi Antonelli's battle, which allowed Hamilton to make up crucial time. Mercedes plans to "re-calibrate" their drivers' approach to ensure they don't impede each other. The Barcelona result signals Hamilton's increasing comfort and pace in the Ferrari, putting Mercedes on notice for the constructors' fight.