“I Behaved Like a Father”: Anthony Hamilton on Consoling Dejected Isack Hadjar

Anthony Hamilton (L) and Isack Hadjar (R)

It was the day Isack Hadjar had been waiting for his whole life—his F1 race debut. The 2025 Australian GP weekend had started well for him, as he qualified P11, narrowly missing out on Q3. However, on race day, disaster struck as he crashed out even before the lights went out.

Hadjar could not control his VCARB 02 on the slippery Albert Park surface, lost control of it, and crashed into the barriers, damaging his rear wing beyond timely repair.

Naturally, Hadjar was devastated. Though his helmet was still on, the way he rubbed his eyes while walking back to the paddock made it seem like he was crying.

It was tough to watch the rookie in such despair, which is when Lewis Hamilton‘s dad, Anthony, stepped in to console him — a wholesome moment that quickly went viral and earned the Briton several plaudits.

Later, Hamilton Sr. explained, “As soon as I saw what happened to Isack, my heart felt, I just felt for him. It was just so sad to see…” 

“I know how hard it is when these kids are 8 years of age and become a Formula 1 race driver,” he added. “There’s a lot of pressure, all the way up. I just wanted to give him a hug, I behaved like a father.”

Hamilton’s father knows all too well about the epic highs and crushing lows of competing in the pinnacle of motorsports. His son, a seven-time world champion, has endured immense challenges to carve out a niche for himself in the sport.

For Hadjar, Hamilton Sr.’s words might serve as valuable advice. “Anthony told me to keep my head high and be proud,” he revealed to Motorsport.com.

Despite this setback, Hadjar has only impressed the paddock. He was the highest-placed rookie in qualifying. Now, with this lesson in his rearview mirror, he can aim to bounce back at the Chinese GP next weekend.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Anthony Hamilton Isack Hadjar

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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