'Not How Racing Driver Behaves': Hamilton On 'Pushback' He Received For Expressing Himself

Sunday, 14 April 2024 at 01:30

Lewis Hamilton is a unique character in the Formula One paddock, he likes to stand out when it comes to his outfits, and that's because he likes to express himself.

As one of the veterans of the sport, the Brit has experienced multiple eras of racing. Early when he got into the sport, F1 was all about racing and drivers focused on one goal, winning the World Championship.

17 years later, that didn't change, as every driver still wants to win the Championship, but what changed is everything around the sport. Drivers are now more than those who turn the steering wheel left and right - they are personalities, and Hamilton stands out among them.

The seven-time World Champion is not afraid to be loud when it matters, speak about topics that he finds important, and also express himself in different ways, whether it's music or fashion.

The 39-year-old is often seen wearing eye-catching outfits in the paddock, but when he first entered Formula One, he was focused only on driving, which he soon became bored of, as he recently explained to GQ.

"When I first got into Formula 1, it was wake up, train, racing-racing-racing--racing, nothing else. There’s no space for anything else. But what I realised is that just working all the time doesn’t bring you happiness, and you need to find a balance in life. And I found out that I was actually quite unhappy."

"The fixation was flattening. There was so much missing, there was so much more to me. And it was crazy, because I was like: I’m in Formula 1, I reached my dream, and I’m where I always wanted to be, I’m on top, I’m fighting for the championship. But I was just not – it was not enjoyable."

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Later in his career, Hamilton realized that he could explore his interests also outside of the sport, and that's what he did. It also made him think about his retirement, and what he will do after that, as it needs to be something that he's passionate about.

That's why the seven-time World Champion kept exploring, because being only in the racing world was tiring for him, and he had to find an escape from what he compared to being in the office every single day.

"It’s almost like being in a snowglobe – that’s the racing world. And there’s so much more outside of it that you just don’t have time to explore. I think if you go to an office every day and do the same process every single day, eventually you just zone out. You have to find something else that can soothe you, can keep your mind going."

However, despite finding his passion in art, music, film, and fashion, Hamilton's interests were often judged, and he felt pushed back by media and many people judging him.

"As I explored my creativity and also how to express myself, I experienced a lot of pushback in the media. People just judging me: ‘This is not how a racing driver behaves.’ ‘This is not what a racing driver does.’"

But those times are now over. By winning 103 Grands Prix, seven World Championships, and being arguably the greatest driver of all time, Hamilton proved that everything he does off the track doesn't distract him, quite the opposite, it motivates him and millions around the world.