Anthony Hamilton Shares Emotional Conversation with Heartbroken Isack Hadjar

Anthony Hamilton has shared what he told rookie F1 driver Isack Hadjar after his debut crash at the Australian Grand Prix.

Hadjar, 20, was in tears as he walked back through the paddock after his Racing Bulls car stopped in wet conditions on the formation lap, meaning he didn't officially start what should have been his F1 debut.

Lewis Hamilton's father was one of the first people to arrive on the scene to comfort the visibly heartbroken Hadjar.

'The problem is, as soon as I saw what happened to Isack, my heart sank and I just felt sorry for him,' Hamilton Sr told Canal+.

'It's sad to see, because I know how hard it is when these kids are eight years old and they dream of becoming an F1 driver.'

'There's a lot of pressure along the way and you're on the grid for your first race and it doesn't happen. It's got to be the worst feeling in the world and I just felt what he was going through.'

'I just wanted to give him a hug. I felt like a father to him.'

Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: 'I just felt sorry for him so I thought, 'You know what, I just need to go and tell this kid to keep his head up and walk tall. You'll be back'.

'I think he's a phenomenal driver, really. There's a lot more to come from Isack than what we might have seen this weekend.'

Hadjar told Sky Sports about the moment Hamilton approached him: 'He told me to keep my head up and be proud and he said I drove well yesterday.'

'That was nice of him to say.'

However, Hadjar's emotional reaction didn't impress Red Bull's Helmut Marko.

'Isack Hadjar cried after the crash. That's a bit embarrassing,' Marko said in an interview with ORF.

It proved to be a missed opportunity for Racing Bulls, who left Melbourne empty-handed.

Hadjar's teammate Yuki Tsunoda had been running sixth for much of the race, but was denied a points finish due to a strategic gamble that backfired.