“Konnichiwa Japan!” The Japanese GP always brings a unique flavor of culture & vibe every year in F1. All drivers besides being fans of the track also immerse themselves in Japanese heritage, be it the food, the traditions, or the gaming. Lewis Hamilton has also done the same in 2023 with his best mates. The Land of the Rising Sun is globally famous for its gaming industry. Hamilton got a taste of it before this year’s race, which is termed as the ‘greatest day of his life’!

The $285 million Mercedes star has always been a fan of gaming consoles & often revealed several anecdotes about the same. Lewis once also gifted his brother Nicolas a custom-made console for his gaming needs. At Suzuka now, he has also revealed a nostalgic story related to his fun activity at the Japanese GP weekend.

Lewis Hamilton becomes a ‘kid’ again!

Lewis Hamilton cited how he & his close friends visited Mario World in Japan in one of his interactions with the media. The Briton seemed so rejuvenated while narrating the story & the related nostalgic memories he has about the Japanese icon Mario. Amid all this, Lewis shed light upon some priceless gaming possessions he has – all of his Nintendo collection! Yes, the seven-time champion is a huge Nintendo fan.

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In a TikTok video floating on Twitter, Hamilton has been quoted mentioning his Nintendo 64 console which is worth $230 nowadays. He said, “They have Mario World here. And as a kid, I’m quite a… & even today, I have all the Mario, all the Nintendo, the original Nintendo, Super Nintendo, 64.”

“And so when I heard about it, I was a huge Mario fan as a kid. So me & my closest friends, we went to Mario World yesterday & had the greatest day of our lives. I really felt like a kid again and I think every single one of us, we all had the costumes & full in. I had the Toad outfit on.”

Lewis Hamilton in a Toad Outfit – Crazy & awesome! The 38-year-old still enjoys being the kid in himself. It’s so refreshing to see a driver who has gone through so much in his career lately, keep enjoying these little moments of life. The Mercedes man would love to use this energy on track in Japan (which seems to be a tricky race for the German team). Regardless, Hamilton has often embarked on such adventures during the season to keep himself motivated, irrespective of on-track setbacks

Hamilton’s off-track Escapades

Lewis Hamilton has several incidents of just disappearing from the F1 scene to go out & explore the world. Earlier this year, the British legend literally went to Antarctica to celebrate the New Year. Talk about going into the extremities of the wilderness! Lewis often likes to visit destinations that are off-beat but have a lot of eye-catching sights.

Just more than a year back, in the 2022 summer break, Hamilton visited several places in Africa. He posted about the same on Instagram citing how it was on his bucket list always to explore the natural riches of the African continent. Part of his caption read, “I’m finally tracing my roots through Africa and guys, to say this journey has been a grounding experience is an understatement.”

Even back in 2020, when COVID-19 loomed large over the world with imminent lockdowns, Hamilton was doing indoor rock climbing in Melbourne. Of course, it was the Australian GP that got canceled. Thus, Lewis had no option then to enjoy some fun activities with his then-trainer Angela Cullen.

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Fast forward to 2023, and Hamilton still has the same energy in Japan. Whether this off-court Mario World enjoyment helps him on track, time will tell. Still, seeing the seven-time champion in wacky outfits is certainly a wholesome highlight!