Lewis Hamilton has won the Russian Grand Prix on several occasions. But his 2015 win in Sochi will always stand out because of a funny incident that happened during the podium celebrations.
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The then 2 times world champion was visiting the Jimmy Kimmel Live talk show where he revealed he did not spray the victory champagne on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kimmel showed him the picture where it looks like some of the sprays might have gone on the Russian President.
” I’m ahead of him. It’s just the picture was. I think the guy behind actually got him. The funny thing is that we were told that it was actually his [Putin] double. They had so much security. They had these bags with some serious mail inside.
All I know is I did not want to spray him. I have seen movies. I know what the Russians are capable of. I love the Russian people,” said the Mercedes driver.
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Hamilton recently condemned ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s comments about the Russian leader.
Lewis Hamilton criticizes ex-F1 boss for supporting the Russian President
Ecclestone had mentioned that he’d still take a bullet for the Russian President despite his actions in recent times. Hamilton was not pleased with the 91-year-old’s comments and criticized him.
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“We need any more of it, to hear from someone that believes in the war, and the displacement of people and killing of people, and supporting that person [Putin] is beyond me,” said the Mercedes driver.
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The Russian President is indeed a very dangerous and divisive individual. So Hamilton rightly wants to stand clear of anything that associates him with Putin. But it is fascinating to see that he even clarified his name in the incident of him possibly spraying champagne on the Russian President.
Yet it would be interesting to find out who is the other driver that the 7-time world champion is referring to. Is he the one that might spray some champagne on Putin?