Lewis Hamilton has expressed his belief that Lando Norris should have exercised more patience on the opening lap of the Spanish Grand Prix, but acknowledged that his compatriot will learn from the experience.
Starting from third and fourth on the grid at the Circuit de Catalunya, it was Hamilton who made a better start and secured third place. However, Norris attempted to reclaim the position by diving up the inside at Turn 2, resulting in a collision between the two drivers.
Unfortunately for Norris, his McLaren suffered front wing damage, forcing him to pit for a new nose cone and dropping him to the back of the field. Despite his efforts, Norris was only able to recover a few positions, finishing in 17th place. Meanwhile, Hamilton went on to secure a podium finish, taking second place.
Hamilton believes that Norris should have exercised more patience on the opening lap.
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Reflecting on the incident, Hamilton said: “I just felt a big hit from behind, but obviously Max and Carlos went quite wide and deep into Turn 1, and then they were coming back across, and I basically got in the wake, so I had to be patient, and then I got a hit from behind.”
The Mercedes driver expressed disappointment for Norris, acknowledging the impressive qualifying performance from the McLaren driver. Hamilton also believed that even if Norris had been ahead of him going into the corner, he would have eventually overtaken him due to having slightly more pace in race trim.
Norris classified the collision as a “racing incident,” highlighting that race leader Max Verstappen had a moment that required the drivers behind him to check up.
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“I did see in Turn 1 that Max went off the track, went a bit wide, so then he had to bounce over the kerb in Turn 2, and then everyone just checked up.” He admitted that he was too close to Hamilton to react and avoid the collision, considering it an unlucky moment,” Norris explained
Both drivers appeared to maintain good spirits despite the incident. Norris jokingly suggested that the contact may have actually helped Hamilton’s performance, while Hamilton praised Norris for his potential and stated that they live and learn from such experiences.
As the Formula 1 season progresses, incidents like these serve as reminders of the fine margins and split-second decisions that can shape the outcome of races. Both Hamilton and Norris will aim to put this incident behind them and focus on their upcoming challenges on the track.