Australian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton defends first-lap overtake after Max Verstappen query

“That’s racing” – Lewis Hamilton defends overtake of Max Verstappen on opening lap of Australian Grand Prix after Dutchman queries whether correct rules were followed; Hamilton “so, so happy” after P2; F1 returns in Azerbaijan from April 28-30, live on Sky Sports F1

Lewis Hamilton has defended his overtake of Max Verstappen on lap one of a chaotic Australian Grand Prix after the reigning world champion questioned whether the Briton had followed the rules.

Pole-sitter Verstappen was first passed by George Russell at Turn One and then by Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Hamilton at Turn Three, with the Dutchman feeling he had not been given the required room by Hamilton.

The moment mattered little come of the end of a race featuring three red flags, with Verstappen winning ahead of Hamilton, while Russell retired on lap 17 following a fire at the back of his W14.

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Verstappen questioned whether Hamilton had followed the rules, but admits he would have done the same had he not been on pole

Red Bull driver Verstappen said immediately after the race: “It’s quite clear in the rules what you’re allowed to do on the outside, but clearly it’s not followed.”

Hamilton responded by saying: “I thought it was pretty decent – he braked early and I braked late.

“I was fully up the inside and I think we both left space for each other. I didn’t run him off the road and he didn’t turn in on me, so we didn’t touch and that’s racing.”

Here is Hamilton’s view of the moment he passed Verstappen…

And here is Verstappen’s vantage point

Speaking later to Sky Sports F1, Verstappen said he did not want to make a “big thing” of the situation.

“I would probably do the same if it was the other way around,” he said. “I will raise it but I also don’t want to make it a big thing.

“When the rules were written like that I thought they would be respected.

“I think with these new rules that are set out that if you are racing from the outside, if you are ahead at the apex, you need to be given space at the exit which I thought I wasn’t because I was literally avoiding being crashed into.”

Verstappen’s second win of 2023 – he triumphed in the season-opener in Bahrain before finishing second to Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in Saudi Arabia – extended his championship lead over Perez to 15 points.

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Hamilton says his P2 gives Mercedes hope for the rest of the 2023 season

Hamilton: ‘Hope’ for Mercedes after ‘remarkable’ podium

Hamilton, meanwhile, declared himself “so, so happy right now” after his “remarkable” first podium of the season, which followed fifth-place finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The seven-time world champion said: “The car has been difficult and for us to be finishing on the podium is really remarkable, especially at this point when we haven’t actually changed the car. I feel so, so happy right now.

“Clearly we have a lot of work to do to catch Red Bull because they came flying past and disappeared [but] I think this hopefully gives us a real hope and boost of energy.

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Highlights of the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit

“I hope this is a message to everyone to dig deep and keep pushing, it is not that far away and it is relatively close to your reach. We can definitely fight the Ferraris and [Aston Martin].

“Max (Verstappen) is in another league, his car is so fast. He passed me half way down the straight and he was 10 metres ahead. I don’t know how they are so quick on the straight, it is insane. They are just in another league.

“Until we pick up speed on the straight like they have and have the crazy downforce they had in the corners, that is how it is going to continue.”

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Verstappen questioned whether Hamilton had followed the rules, but admits he would have done the same had he not been on pole

Russell: Red flag ‘ruined things’

Russell’s decision to pit from the lead under a safety car backfired with a red flag soon called, “ruining things” for him as Hamilton and Verstappen were able to switch their tyres for no time lost.

“When it’s not your day, it’s not your day,” said Russell after a power unit failure ended his race on lap 17.

“[I was] pretty disappointed initially with the decision to red flag the race – no words for that.

“I thought we made the right decision pitting under the safety car. I was surprised when I saw Lewis and Max stay out and I was pretty pleased when I saw that because it played right into our hands. Then the red flag ruined things.

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George Russell’s car ignited at Albert Park as he retired on lap 17

“We were right there and everything we’ve done this weekend has been good. It’s just such a shame to be stood here right now [with a DNF].

“I think Red Bull are a little bit out of the picture so we need to continue to focus on ourselves. We’ve improved the car a lot even though we haven’t brought any upgrades to the car. We’ve got to take satisfaction from that.

“We were clearly the second fastest team this weekend.”