Lewis Hamilton finally secured his first grand prix win as a Ferrari Formula 1 driver, and his first GP victory in nearly two years, while a last-gasp retirement for Kimi Antonelli boosted second-placed George Russell's title hopes.

Fortuitous virtual safety car timing ensured Hamilton's three-stop strategy paid off at a moment when it was touch and go whether he would be able to beat the Mercedes, but he had already put himself firmly in contention with a superb mid-race charge.

Polesitter Russell had edged away from Hamilton and the second Mercedes of Antonelli early on, before Ferrari committed fully to a three-stop strategy after the first stops while Mercedes stuck with two.

Hamilton's searing pace between his second and third stops put him in position to comfortably take the lead when Russell and Antonelli made their second stops.

Russell started reducing Hamilton's advantage once onto fresh tyres, and the Ferrari was on course to rejoin behind whenever it made its final stop - albeit then with newer rubber for the final laps - until a virtual safety car for Fernando Alonso's parked Aston Martin gave Hamilton a window to pit without losing the lead.

In his wake, Antonelli had caught Russell in the middle of the race and put his team-mate under heavy pressure.

Russell resisted successfully at that point, but was caught again in the closing laps and lost second place to Antonelli going into the first corner with five laps to go.

Two laps later though, Antonelli's Mercedes ground to a sickly-sounding halt, handing second place back to his team-mate.

Antonelli's retirement means his championship lead is cut to 41 points over race winner Hamilton and 50 over Russell.

Lando Norris completed the podium for McLaren, close enough to keep some pressure on the Mercedes in the second half of the race.

Max Verstappen's Red Bull was a quiet fourth ahead of the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri - who picked up fifth when Charles Leclerc retired his Ferrari in the pits moments after Antonelli parked.

Isack Hadjar came back from a very poor start to take sixth for Red Bull, with the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto and the Racing Bulls of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad filling out the top 10.