Artist captures Anthony Hamilton’s touching moment with Isack Hadjar after heartbreaking F1 debut crash

Rookie Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar crashed during the formation lap of his inaugural race at the Australian Grand Prix and his despair was immediate. But out of the pain, there stepped one man—Anthony Hamilton, father of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton—who gave the teenager an outpouring of kindness that made waves around the paddock and beyond. The moment resonated so deeply that UK-based freelance illustrator Lucy Claire Dunbar recreated it in a moving tribute.


In the cutthroat world of Formula 1, where milliseconds make legends and feelings tend to be concealed behind racing helmets, a moment of sheer empathy captured the limelight at the Australian Grand Prix. Aside from the immediate shock of Hadjar's crash, the moment has stayed in the minds of fans, competitors, and the F1 world. Artist Lucy Claire re-drew the hug in a touching tribute, captioning it: “This moment had me in tears first thing. Kindness really is the greatest superpower, the greatest gift.”

She specializes in digital watercolour, intending to capture the magic little moments in life and recognize the beauty in simple things. Her artwork struck a chord with fans, who praised the elder Hamilton for showing empathy in a sport often defined by ruthless competition.
Hadjar's Formula 1 debut was to be the highlight of his life. But, in slippery wet conditions, the 20-year-old lost it while warming his tyres, directing his car into the barriers before the race even started. The Frenchman, who is a huge fan of Lewis Hamilton, was left heartbroken, not being able to answer radio instructions as he clambered out of his mangled car. The return walk to the garage was long and lonely until Anthony Hamilton emerged.

Hamilton enveloped Hadjar in a warm hug. The young driver could hardly muster the energy to hug him back, his body language conveying his heartbreak. The gesture, as one Reddit commenter said, proved that ‘sometimes a boy just needs a dad.’
Hamilton later described his motivation according to a report by talkSPORT, “My heart just sank for him. Not just for him, for his parents, for everything that they have done to work hard to get to this point, and it's snatched from you. I just felt terrible for him, so I just thought, you know what? I need to go and tell this kid to keep your head high, and walk tall, you're going to come back.” he shared. “I think he's a phenomenal driver, you know. I really do. There is more to come from Isack than we have probably seen this weekend.”

While Anthony Hamilton's reaction was universally commended, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was much colder in his approach. Speaking with ORF, Marko described Hadjar's emotional response as ‘a bit embarrassing.’ This did not sit well with fans, many of whom compared Marko's coldness to Hamilton Sr.'s compassion. Redditor succinctly captured the mood, “Anthony Hamilton seems to me like the polar opposite of Jos Verstappen in terms of raising a champion. It’s the difference between supporting and nurturing growth vs. forcing results under threat of punishment. I wonder which of the two will have a better relationship with their child when all’s said and done.”
Such a comparison mirrors a larger motorsport discourse that interrogates whether relentless pressure is in young drivers’ interests or whether better long-term achievement comes through positive support.
Also read: 'I just wanted to give him a hug': How Anthony Hamilton comforted Isack Hadjar after emotional Australian
Hadjar will have more chances to impress in Formula 1, but this weekend, it was not about lap times or racing results. It was about the heartbreak of a young driver, the wisdom of an old father, and a sport that—beneath its ruthless veneer—still has human moments. As Anthony Hamilton demonstrated, sometimes, a hug can speak louder than words ever can.