Lewis Hamilton is no stranger to spending a couple of hours tied down in one place, given a Grand Prix goes on for 2 hours, with him behind the wheel of the Mercedes. However, the 37-year-old found himself locked away for four hours in a location with no windows, no food or water supply, or any room for movement.
The driver, inked with ‘Still I Rise’ on his back, has proven time and time again that when all doors close; he still comes through. Nonetheless, this time things were out of his control and he failed to open the doors of an elevator for double the duration of a Grand Prix.
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In the ‘Grill the Grid’ rendition of Truth Or Lie, the seven-time world champion answered the question, ‘I’ve been trapped somewhere’ to reveal his experience of being cinched in one place. Hamilton raised the paddle in his hand which said “Truth”, as the interviewer further asked, “Where, when, how?”
NEW EPISODE – Grill The Grid: Truth or Lie 🎬
Ever had to go to the toilet in the cockpit?* 🚽
Ever served up takeaway food and said you cooked it? 🤥
We put @LewisHamilton and @ValtteriBottas on the spot
WATCH: https://t.co/bMxe7U5pO7#F1
* = 🤢 pic.twitter.com/f07Xj53Opg
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 11, 2018
“I got trapped in a lift one time. I was in the lift for like 4 hours,” said the Briton.
“Is this exaggeration for getting out of a PR opportunity?” asked the interviewer.
Hamilton chuckled while replying, “No no, but luckily I had, at least a couple of really hot girls with me, so it was okay.”
“I had good company, during, if you have good company, you can actually have fun. But it was getting pretty hot,” he concluded.
Lewis Hamilton faced a somewhat similar situation at the 2022 French GP
This year’s French GP set up a sweltering affair, both figuratively and literally. Le Castellet presented an additional challenge with temperatures exceeding 35°, taking a toll both on the drivers and the Pirelli tires, which melted like butter in the scorching sun.
Sir LewHam lying down on the floor in the cooldown room after P2 in the French Grand Prix – super awesome. #LewisHamilton pic.twitter.com/Hal2O667dV
— Joe Swimmer (@iamericvalley) July 24, 2022
Under such testing conditions, a drinks bottle failure inside car number 44 put Lewis Hamilton on the back foot. In a race that took place in really hot temperatures, the Brit was cut off from any method of hydration during a race, which took a toll on his body.
Following the Grand Prix, Hamilton reckoned to have lost about 6 and a half pounds because of the gruesome climate, and while in the cool-down room, he opted to lie down on the floor to catch his breath.
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In his media interview, the Brit said, “That was actually a tough race because my drinks bottle didn’t work,”
“I didn’t see my weight just now but I would imagine probably around three kilos. It’s enough,” he said when asked how much he had lost during one of the hottest races of the season.”
“I’m looking forward to downing the rest of this drink.”
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Watch This Story: Lewis Hamilton Finds Himself in an Unusual Situation With His Teammate for the First Time Since 2007
Despite the challenge, in his 300th Grand Prix, Hamilton grabbed P2 and sipped on the bubbly for a great day in the office. How do you rate the performance of the multi-time champion at the French GP?