“This Is Not How an F1 Driver Should Look Like”: Lewis Hamilton Recalls Painful Memory of Being Belittled Over Fashion Choices in the Sport

With the color of his skin, the number of world titles, and the multiple world records; Lewis Hamilton has plenty in his locker that puts him in a league of his own. Yet, the Briton brings himself into the limelight and separates himself from the herd, with another quality of his personality, and that is his fashion statement.

Hamilton made his F1 debut in 2007, and over the 16 years of his career so far, he has certainly evolved multifold as an athlete. It’s not only his diet that has seen an alteration, given his plant-based nutrition choice; but an evolution in his personality as well that makes him much more confident in his own skin.

In an interview with IWC watches, the Mercedes star discussed his firsthand fashion experience in F1.

Misan Harriman questioned, “So tell me your sense of style, what does it say about you?”

Hamilton replied, “I try to. I think we, well in our world, in our sport, it’s very restricted. You always have to be in the team kit, in formal wear. But, I still try and play around with it, I think it took a long time for me, there’s definitely, I look back for a good period of time, part of discovery, trying to feel how I wanted to present myself.”

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“You know, I remember when I first got to my first like F1 meeting, and when I was younger, I was crazy into hip-hop, so baggy clothes, I was really into basketball, so a lot of [Michael] Jordan wear and I remember turning up to a meeting and I had these baggy jeans on and I remember being looked from head to toe, and really feeling the displeasing look that I’d had,” he added.

How Lewis Hamilton became a trendsetter in F1

The boy from Stevenage had to face a hard truth about swapping his Jordan gear for the team uniform. Nevertheless, his triumph not only earned him fame and glory but also helped him choose the individual he wanted to become. He continued the interview by sharing his development.

“This is not how an F1 driver should look like, and I remember getting home and my dad was like, ‘You’ve got to change.’ Then I was not able to be myself, and it’s the worst thing not being able to feel free in your own skin. And of course, I think everyone needs to be able to embrace their own individuality, and wear what you want.” the Briton said.

Harriman interjected to ask, “And that matters as much as you winning on the track, because there are going to be boys and girls who are going to see that and be like, ‘Well if Lewis Hamilton can do that then why can’t I?'” 

“Yeah, I think that’s one of the reasons that I’m able to be consistent and succeed in our job, is that I’ve managed to create these barriers where I don’t post things to be judged, to see what people think of it. I don’t need anybody’s approval. This is who I am, this is how I like to dress, and I kind of walk my own walk.” Lewis Hamilton concluded.

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Which has been your favorite Lewis Hamilton outfit over the years? Let us know in the comments below.