It was a Formula 1 debut to forget for Isack Hadjar as he crashed his Racing Bulls car on the formation lap of the Australian Grand Prix.
The Frenchman didn’t even make the start as he whipped his white and blue challenger into the wall trying to get his tyres warm.
Rain had threatened to delay the start at Albert Park but instead it was Hadjar who caused it to be pushed back.
With a wet coating on track, any wrong move was going to be punished and the youngster picked the worst time to try and speed up and swerve, catching a white line.
The spin saw him career into the fencing and the angle of the crash meant his rear wing wasn’t salvageable.
Race over before it had even begun.
Hadjar was left devastated, refusing to respond to radio calls as he got out of his car.
He also left his helmet on, placing one hand through his visor as he was consoled by officials trackside.
Ex-Formula 1 star Martin Brundle said: “He’s crying his eyes out, I suspect.”
And then, as Hadjar continued a long and lonely walk back to the pit lane, another figure appeared to wrap an arm around his shoulder.
The 20-year-old has, ahead of the new F1 season spoken plenty about Lewis Hamilton being his idol, snapping selfies and getting advice from his hero.
And Lewis’ father Anthony swooped in to further console Hadjar in a extremely heart-warming sight.
Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz said: “[He’s] now getting consoled there by Anthony Hamilton, who wished all drivers the best of luck in today’s race and he knows a thing or too support someone in a crash helmet.
“He’s done it for Lewis for his entire career and that’s the mark of Anthony Hamilton there – one of the first people on the scene to say, ‘Come on, you’ve got a long career ahead of you. You’ll forget about this one day.’
“It’s just horrendous luck for Isak Hadjar.”
Hadjar wasn’t the only one to have a shocker at the start of the race with Alpine rookie Jack Doohan also spinning off on Lap 1.
He went off in the same fashion as his wheels hit the wet white line.
And his father Mick was also left devastated in the paddock after his son’s crash.
It wasn’t just the rookies struggling with new Williams star Carlos Sainz then going off as the Safety Car entered the fray.
This time though, it appeared to be a technical issue for the experienced Spaniard.
Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz, said: “That would have shocked him. Very similar to Hadjar. He’s accelerated gently but the torque has come on through, loosened the rear axle and boom he’s gone.”
The safety car took them round as the track was cleared and eventually they got back racing on Lap 8 with Lando Norris leading from world champion Max Verstappen.
The Dutchman, somehow, skulked past Norris’ McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri on the opening lap.
Hadjar, Sainz, and Doohan were all later seen around their respective garages as the race continued.
