Lewis Hamilton advises Lando Norris to ‘live and learn’ after opening lap contact in Spanish F1 GP

Lewis Hamilton offered some words of wisdom to his compatriot Lando Norris after the latter came in contact with the left rear of Hamilton's Mercedes during the 2023 Spanish F1 Grand Prix on Sunday, June 4.

Norris, who had shown great promise during qualifying with a P3 grid slot, experienced a nightmare drive on the grid that saw him finish in 17th place.

The trouble for the 23-year-old began in the opening lap when he made contact with Hamilton, resulting in damage to his front wing and forcing him into an early pit stop. This incident dropped him to the back of the field, significantly compromising his chances for a strong finish.

At the beginning of the race, Hamilton's car overtook the McLaren driver as they approached Turn 1. This section of the track before the first braking zone was particularly lengthy compared to other races.

As they reached Turn 2, Norris positioned himself behind the seven-time world champion, but it seemed like he accelerated a little too early. As a result, he drove into the back of Hamilton's car, causing damage to Norris's front wing.

Recognizing Norris's talent and potential, Hamilton expressed his sympathy for the youngster during a post-race interview. He acknowledged the impressive performance Norris had displayed during qualifying, saying:

"I think it was a sorrow for Lando because he did such an amazing job yesterday. It was great to see McLaren up there on the second row."

However, the 38-year-old also took the opportunity to impart some valuable advice to Norris, calling it a "live and learn" moment. He suggested that if Norris had exercised a bit more patience during the race, he might have achieved a better result.

"I think if he was just a little bit more patient today he wouldve had probably a better result. But we live and learn," Lewis Hamilton added.

"We'd have overtaken him": Lewis Hamilton is confident his Mercedes would've overtaken Lando Norris' McLaren

In the same interview, Lewis Hamilton considered the scenario in reverse, implying that he had the confidence and belief in his abilities to overtake Lando Norris had their positions been switched.

"I think today probably even if he was ahead of me going onto the corner, we would've overtaken him. Because we had slightly more pace, I would say, probably back-trim-wise," he said.

The Spanish GP marked a turning point for Hamilton, who had endured a series of lackluster performances earlier in the season. The seven-time world champion had a fantastic drive at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona, where he showcased some brilliant pace and management.

His Mercedes, equipped with the W14 upgrades, finally showcased its potential as Hamilton secured a second-place finish behind Max Verstappen on Sunday.

With only his second podium finish of the season, the result provided a much-needed boost for Lewis Hamilton and his team, reigniting hopes for a strong remainder of the season.