Lewis Hamilton’s perfect ‘childhood dream’ message to Nico Rosberg after sharing his first F1 podium

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It’s hard to believe that Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were such close friends, considering how their time as Mercedes teammates went.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg both rose through the ranks of racing at the same time.

Hamilton made his debut for McLaren in 2007, a year after Rosberg made his Formula 1 bow with Williams.

The German scored 24 points in his first two seasons and watched on as Hamilton missed out on winning the drivers’ championship by a single point in his maiden campaign.

However, the first race of the 2008 season took place in Australia and saw the pair get to share a moment of joy.

Hamilton won the race and would go on to win the championship in the most dramatic circumstances that year, overtaking Timo Glock on the last lap of the final race to pip Felipe Massa to the title.

Two Germans, Nick Heidfeld and Rosberg, joined him on the podium, and Hamilton’s delighted reaction shows how much their relationship changed as their careers progressed.

Lewis Hamilton recalls Nico Rosberg’s ‘childhood dream’ after sharing the podium on the 2008 Australian Grand Prix

Hamilton won in Melbourne by 5.4 seconds from Heidfeld, with Rosberg less than three seconds further back.

In his official post-race interview, Rosberg said: “I am really, really happy. It is amazing to be on the podium in F1. It is just great.

“It has been a while also, nearly three years or something, so it is just really nice and I am also pleased for the whole team because they have been working so hard over the winter and really done a good job and made good progress, so it’s just great.”

Hamilton: “It is the perfect way to begin the season. I was just saying to Nico, I think it has been exactly eight years since we were on the podium together back in the days when we were in karting. It is great to be up here with him again.”

When asked if he would be going out to celebrate his first win of the season, and Rosberg’s first podium, Hamilton continued: “I’m going out [to Malaysia] tomorrow as well, so we will probably be on the same flight but tonight, I will obviously celebrate with the team, sit down with my dad and trainer and just my team, might meet up with Nico and celebrate.

“I go out tomorrow, just will spend a couple of days in a hotel, maybe a couple of days in KL.”

Rosberg replied: “I would love to go flat out tonight, but it’s a bit difficult because we have the race so close next weekend, so maybe it would be better to take it a bit easier…”

Hamilton joked and said: “That’s never stopped you before, Nico!”

The pair were then asked what it was like sharing a podium together again, and Hamilton admitted: “As we always said, one day we would be in Formula 1 and winning races and on the podium together.

“It’s a childhood dream for both of us, so it feels really cool.”

How Nico Rosberg has reacted to Lewis Hamilton’s start to life at Ferrari

Rosberg and Hamilton fought a gruelling title campaign in 2016, with the German coming out on top and then immediately retiring.

Hamilton channelled his inner Ayrton Senna after colliding with Rosberg during that season, but like the Brazilian in 1989, couldn’t come out on top against his teammate on that occasion.

Since then, he’s been an occasional pundit and has kept a close eye on the 40-year-old’s career.

Rosberg suggested Hamilton was in a ‘very dark place’ after this year’s Spanish Grand Prix, and his wait for a Ferrari podium goes on.

He’s got eight races left to find his way onto the rostrum before his debut campaign for the Scuderia comes to an end, and he’ll hope that he can achieve his own childhood dream of winning with Formula 1’s most iconic team.