Following Lewis Hamilton's maiden grand prix victory for Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has likened the seven-time champion's relentless mentality to that of Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton ended a victory drought stretching back to the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, pulling off a three-stop strategy that reinvigorated his 2026 title campaign.
Speaking on the F1 TV post-race show, Montoya branded Hamilton's victory as "unbelievable".
"It's unbelievable. As we said before the race, if he can smell that win, we get a different Lewis. We get this Lewis, and watch out for the championship because we're going to Austria in two weeks. They have a new engine. They have an upgrade coming. So things are coming their way.
"Mercedes is still really, really strong. It would have been really interesting because I think Lewis would have won either way without the safety car, but he would have had to pass people, and it would have been a really, really cool race."
The Colombian added, when asked about how tough it is to stay motivated when self-doubt creeps in: "He has said, 'I need to look at everything, look at myself,' and you've got to be open about it.
"You've got to look at yourself and see what you need to do better, and you can always find ways to improve, and I think he's proven and shown to everybody that you can do it.
"I think it's the same mentality that Fernando [Alonso] has and the trust that anybody in Aston has in Fernando. They know if they can deliver a car, he's going to be the guy who can deliver.
"And what Hamilton did today was amazing. I think Ferrari was solid."
Hamilton's win at Barcelona followed back-to-back second-place finishes in Canada and Monaco. The 41-year-old now sits just 41 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
