Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony consoled Isack Hadjar in a heartwarming moment in the paddock after the rookie crashed out in a disastrous start to his F1 career.
Torrential rain in Melbourne on Sunday meant very wet conditions for the drivers by the time pole-sitter Lando Norris led the cars round for the formation lap at Albert Park.
Yet French driver Hadjar, 20, who was starting 11th on the grid for Racing Bulls, spun randomly at turn one, with his car propelled into the wall.
Due to damage to his rear wing, Hadjar was unable to get his car going again. The incident followed Hadjar stalling at the start line when in contention for the F2 title in Abu Dhabi in December.
Hadjar was visually devastated immediately afterwards and Anthony hugged the Frenchman in the paddock straight afterwards in a touching moment.
The French driver has spoken this week about how Hamilton, 40, is his racing idol.
A gutted Hadjar said of his embrace with Hamilton: “He told me to keep my head high and be proud, did well yesterday. It was a nice gesture from him.”
Speaking about the incident, he said: “I just lost the rear-end of the car, these cars in these conditions, they snap so fast,
“And it’s unsavable, I couldn’t get the grip back.
“I knew it was going to be tricky, on the laps to the grid I knew it’d be tricky.
“I’m sorry for the team right now, my close ones watching the race... it’s just embarrassing.”
Hadjar will have to regroup quickly as the second race of the season takes place next weekend in China.
Anthony Hamilton, meanwhile, was present to watch Lewis on his Ferrari debut but will have been disappointed by an underwhelming 10th place finish.
