Lewis Hamilton finished third at theChinese Grand Prix 2026, securing his first-ever Formula 1 podium with Scuderia Ferrari. However, it was the reaction from his former team, Mercedes, who once again celebrated a dominant 1-2 finish, that captured the hearts of fans.
Just before the race weekend, following the sprint result where Mercedes again locked out the top two places and Hamilton also stood on the podium, team principal Toto Wolff referred to the Briton as "still our driver." And, has since the video is buzzing on the internet, with fans praising the strong bond that continues to exist between Hamilton and his former team.
In the paddock, Toto Wolff was watching the screens as Kimi Antonelli secured the pole in qulaifying, George Russell crossed the line to secure second, and Lewis Hamilton, who won the sprint in Shanghai last year, grabbed the third place to start the race. The moment made the Austrian team boss feel as if he was watching three Mercedes drivers on the podium.
"I actually thought for a moment that we had three cars - first, second and third," Wolff said. "Need to get used to it."
The cameraman then reminded him that one of the drivers is now in red. 'Still our driver," Wolff replied with a smile.
On Sunday, Mercedes 19-year-old talent Kimi Antonelli won the Chinese Grand Prix, his maiden Formula 1 race, and George Russell finished second to hand Mercedes a 1-2 victory yet again and continue his lead in the drivers' championship.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, who ended a 14-year-old bond with the Silver Arrows in 2025 to shake hands with Ferrari, secured the third place. This marked his first podium in Red, having ended the 2025 season without a single win or top three finish (except for the Sprint in China).
Ferrari celebrated Lewis Hamilton's first podium with them, but the celebration from his former team, Mercedes, drew even more attention. Hamilton won six of his seven world titles with Mercedes, and as he walked past the German team's paddock in Shanghai, he was stopped by Mercedes engineers and team principal Toto Wolff.
They warmly congratulated the Briton on ending his long podium drought, sharing the celebration that caught the attention of fans both in Shanghai and across the internet.
Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc finished the race on fourth place ahead of Haas' Ollie Bearman. For the McLarens, the Chinese Grand Prix was yet another chapter of heartbreak as both of their drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, failed to start the race due to mechanical failure in the cars.