Lewis Hamilton 's father, Anthony Hamilton, made a touching gesture to a distraught Formula 1 star after their Australian Grand Prix crash. The first race of the season in Melbourne saw three drivers crash before the opening lap was completed, with Carlos Sainz and rookies Isack Hadjar and Jack Doohan making vital mistakes in the wet conditions.

Verstappen’s teammate last year, Sergio Pérez, has been replaced by Liam Lawson this season, with the New Zealand driver set to make his full-time F1 debut in 2025. In the drizzly conditions in Bahrain, Lawson said he was fighting “a few teething gremlins” with his car as he sought to adjust to life alongside Verstappen.