F1 legend Lewis Hamilton's Spanish GP misery prompts celebrations from rivals

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton's Spanish GP misery prompts celebrations from F1 rivals

Lewis Hamilton's struggles benefitted one F1 team

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 5 June 2025 11:30

Whilst Lewis Hamilton’s Spanish Grand Prix ended in a miserable result for the Ferrari star, there were celebrations elsewhere in the F1 paddock from a rival team.

A despondent Hamilton entered the media pen after Sunday’s race, where he bemoaned his 'terrible’ performance and appeared at a loss for words over his sixth-place finish.

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The seven-time world champion was overtaken by the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg during the closing stages of the race, but instead of dwelling on the implications of this move on Hamilton, the significance of the team’s fifth-place finish should also be celebrated.

As Hulkenberg crossed the finish line in fifth, the Sauber garage erupted into applause, and team principal Jonathan Wheatley was equally jubilant speaking to Motorsport.com after the race.

The Sauber boss grinned as he detailed Hulkenberg's overtake on Hamilton, clearly a big moment for the team that has had little to smile about in the past 18 months.

"It was a bit of a pinch yourself moment because that was on pace," he said.

Sauber’s progress at the Spanish Grand Prix

Sauber have since usurped Alpine and Aston Martin in the constructors’ standings, with Hulkenberg claiming their second points-paying finish of the year.

Wheatley further revealed how much the Spanish GP weekend meant to Sauber, particularly after a difficult couple of years in F1, and hailed the team's hard work.

The Hinwil-based outfit finished last in the standings in 2024 with just four points to their name, a tally they surpassed at the first race of the season in Australia, and are well past it nine rounds into the 2025 season.

"There's so much hard work going on, so much passion at the factory and I think it just feels like this huge relief, because we know what we've been capable of," Wheatley added.

"I was just pleased that the upgrade did what we expected it to do, The feedback from the drivers was consistent and we had a racing car under us today. It's the first time that I've felt that since I've been here and it's a great feeling."

Gabriel Bortoleto is the only full-time driver without a point in 2025, but his 12th-place finish in Spain was the best of his short F1 career to date.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Nico Hulkenberg Sauber Jonathan Wheatley motorsport.com