At the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix on May 25, Lewis Hamilton displayed a touching moment of sportsmanship and mentorship toward rookie Isack Hadjar. During the cooldown lap, as the cars navigated the famous tunnel section, Hamilton was seen giving a thumbs-up to the 20-year-old Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver—a gesture that quickly went viral on social media platform X.
Hamilton, who finished fifth after starting seventh due to a grid penalty, managed to jump ahead of both Hadjar and Fernando Alonso through a well-timed strategy under Monaco’s newly introduced mandatory two-stop rule. Despite finishing nearly a full lap ahead of Hadjar, Hamilton’s acknowledgment served as a mark of respect for the young driver’s resilience and performance in what was his very first F1 race in Monaco.
Hadjar, a Red Bull junior talent, overcame a challenging weekend that included two crashes during Free Practice 2. Nevertheless, he bounced back with remarkable composure and racecraft, ultimately securing a career-best P6—his first points finish in Formula 1. The gesture from Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, not only recognized Hadjar’s tenacity but also reinforced his own role as a mentor figure in the sport.
This was not the first time Hamilton showed support for Hadjar. Earlier in the season, after the rookie suffered a crash in Australia, Hamilton publicly offered words of encouragement. His latest act in Monaco further highlighted the mutual respect between generations and the positive culture of mentorship growing in Formula 1.
Fans and pundits on X widely praised the moment, viewing it as a symbolic passing of the torch from one of the sport’s legends to a promising future star. It was a heartening reminder that beyond fierce competition, Formula 1 is also a community built on respect and inspiration.