03 April 2023 , 08:00
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Lewis Hamilton has defended his move to overtake Max Verstappen on the first lap of a dramatic Australian Grand Prix.
World champion Verstappen secured victory in Melbourne while Hamilton delivered a much-improved finish of second as the race finished under a safety car after a controversial late restart.
There was also drama in the early stages after Hamilton made a move on Verstappen to take second place, resulting in their wheels colliding. The Dutchman vented his frustrations on the team radio, shouting: "He pushed me off the track!"
Speaking after the race, the Red Bull star questioned Hamilton and said: "It's quite clear in the rules what you're allowed to do on the outside, but clearly it's not followed."
But the Brit, who has endured a tricky start to the season, insisted he hadn't done anything wrong. "I thought it was pretty decent - he braked early and I braked late," Hamilton said.
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"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."
Hamilton had finished fifth in the first two races of the season, and although teammate George Russell was forced to retire after a power failure in Melbourne, the former world champion believes there are positive signs for Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen battle at the Australian Grand Prix (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)"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," he said.
"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.
"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."