Anthony Hamilton’s Heartfelt Hug: A Father’s Support for Hadjar

After a devastating debut crash, Anthony Hamilton comforted Isack Hadjar, offering fatherly support to the heartbroken young driver in Melbourne.

Anthony Hamilton, father of Lewis Hamilton, shared what moved him to comfort Isack Hadjar after the distraught Racing Bulls driver made his way back to the F1 paddock in Melbourne.

The young Frenchman suffered a heartbreaking accident during the formation lap of the Australian Grand Prix—his very first race in Formula 1. His VCARB 02 lost grip on the slippery white track markings, sending him crashing hard into the barriers and forcing him to retire before the race even began.

TV cameras captured the 20-year-old in tears, struggling to process what had just happened. He kept his helmet on, trying to hide the raw emotion of the moment.

For Hamilton, seeing Hadjar in that state struck a deep chord. Knowing that his own son, Lewis, was Hadjar’s childhood hero, he felt compelled to offer support—drawing from his own experience as a father who has been through the highs and lows of racing.

“The moment I saw what had happened to Isack, my heart sank for him. Not just for him, but for his parents too. I know how much effort goes into reaching this level, and then suddenly, it’s all taken away in an instant.”

“It was heartbreaking to watch because I understand how tough it is for these young drivers. Their entire journey is filled with pressure, and when you finally make it to your first race, and it all falls apart like that—it’s probably the worst feeling in the world. I really felt for him.”

Hamilton’s Fatherly Words to Hadjar: ‘Walk Tall, You’ll Bounce Back’

“I just wanted to hug him. I felt for him like a father would for his own child.”

“And because I could see how devastated he was, I knew I had to tell him something. I told him, ‘Keep your head up. Walk tall. You will come back from this.’”

“I truly believe Isack is an incredible driver. He has so much more to show than what we saw this weekend.”

Before the incident, Hadjar had shown impressive pace in Melbourne, making steady progress throughout practice and coming close to reaching Q3 in qualifying. He was set to start the race from P11—a solid debut position.

However, not everyone shared Hamilton’s empathetic stance. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was far less forgiving, openly criticizing Hadjar’s emotional reaction, calling it “embarrassing to watch.”

Later, after the live TV footage of their interaction, Hamilton went back to see Hadjar again in the Racing Bulls hospitality area, reinforcing his support for the young driver.