Toto Wolff on Lewis Hamilton Formula 1 Title fight: If he smells blood, he goes

Hamilton and Ferrari were simply the better package in Barcelona. The seven-time F1 Champion was in top form, while Ferrari had a decent car as they also executed an error-free strategy while also benefitting from the Virtual Safety Car.

Mercedes' George Russell, who started the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix from pole, had no answer to Hamilton and dropped back into the clutches of teammate Kimi Antonelli, who passed him towards the end before breaking down.

That highlighted a reliability concern for Mercedes, which this time affected Antonelli, while Russell has been on the receiving end more frequently in 2026.

While Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur warned that it was too early to talk about a Championship battle with Mercedes, Wolff, a close friend of the Frenchman, is not taking anything for granted, especially as he knows how Hamilton operates from the days the Briton was a Mercedes driver winning six F1 titles with them.

"I'd rather not fight with him for a ​title because I know what he's capable of. If he smells blood, he goes," Wolff said. "I've seen it ⁠many years where suddenly the Lewis Hamilton train started to go, and then it's very difficult to stop it."

Hamilton has made many changes in his Ferrari surroundings, which he credits for his better form in 2026, and Wolff acknowledged that; he said: "The dynamics in the team look to be good, between him and his race engineer [Carlo Santi]. I saw him on the podium, on the telly. That ​face shows me that he's very happy.

"Maybe the girlfriend helps," the Austrian added, referring to Hamilton's recently announced relationship with Kim Kardashian, "that you ​have a stable ⁠family life, and they seem to be getting on really well.

"I think it's all of those factors that put together the emotional, personal, and professional perspective," Wolff concluded. (Reporting by Agnes Carlier)