“I Have Been Non-stop…”: Lewis Hamilton’s Foolish and Irresponsible Antics Once Knocked Him Back by Almost $2 Million

Lewis Hamilton has been a relatively focused sportsperson throughout his career. And his immense success in F1 proves the same. Though there was a time when Hamilton used to go partying and go crazy in celebration. However, a major incident happened to him in 2015, that possibly changed his lifestyle.

It was just after Lewis Hamilton had sealed his 3rd world championship in 2015 when the Briton went on a partying spree. After the Mexican GP, he partied for almost a week and a half with little rest. As a result, he had a small car crash back in Monaco.

As per the Press Association, the Mercedes driver was driving a Pagani Zonda supercar, worth almost $2 million (GBP 1.6 million). At around 3:30 AM on Tuesday morning, Hamilton had “light contact” with some stationary vehicles. The Brazilian GP was about to happen the same weekend and Lewis was completely deprived of sleep.

Talking to some British newspapers, Hamilton put forth his explanation of his incident in Monaco. He said, “It [the car crash] was a result of heavy partying and not much rest for a week and a half. I don’t feel as bad as I look, but I honestly feel a lot better.”

“I am a bit run down. I have been non-stop [partying] and trying to fit training in at the same time and not getting a lot of sleep. [For] The last two days I have slept pretty much all day. I couldn’t believe how much I slept.”

Read More: With Lewis Hamilton Currently Down in the Dumps, His Dad Holds the Three-Worded Secret to That Elusive 8th Title

Lewis’s alcohol test after the incident was negative, as per Monaco’s Palais de Justice. As per the rules for drunk driving in Monaco, he might have received a monetary fine, a license suspension, or a ban on driving his $2 million worth supercar in the principality.

Lewis Hamilton and his Driving Controversies

The Monaco car crash in 2015 was not the last time Hamilton had a driving infringement. Just a few months later, in 2016, the New Zealand police investigated Lewis for a motorbike selfie. This was just ahead of the season-opening Australian GP.

As per ESPN, Lewis was riding a Harley Davidson on the motorway and recording a shot of himself. He posted the same on Snapchat, which led the New Zealand police department to investigate him. New Zealand law has prohibited the use of mobile phones while driving since 2009.

While the police did not take any action against the Mercedes driver, they warned him about the several dangers of using his phone while riding a vehicle.

Usually, F1 drivers go to the limit to exploit gray areas in the rules, often in the sport. However, they may pay the consequences for doing the same off-track.

Watch This Story: Lewis Hamilton lashed out at F1 media over Snapchat antics

Lewis Hamilton would have wanted to limit his driving transgressions to the F1 track since 2016. And it is evident in how he won 4 world titles since then. Still, what do you think about Hamilton’s past traffic violations?