“Went 15 Minutes Overtime”: Heartbreaking Defeat Didn’t Stop Lewis Hamilton to Go Against Mercedes & Act Like a Gentleman

The last lap drama that unfolded in Abu Dhabi has been the single most-watched event in Formula 1 history. Max Verstappen became an F1 champion for the first time in dramatic fashion. However, Lewis Hamilton lost out on a chance to create that bit of history which he hasn’t added to his tally, his eighth title. The latter after the traumatic loss went off the grid, meaning he had no social media trace. But when the man did eventually come back, a few were tiptoeing around him. The list included now his close acquaintance, Naomi Schiff.

The Sky Sports presenter was one of the first people to talk to Hamilton in 2022. Natural instinct obviously told her to be cautious and help the almost 8x champion let his guard down. Add to that, she was nervous about the whole situation. Hamilton defended the 28-year-old presenter after she was subjected to sexist and racist remarks, and knew the man only from an adoring distance. But his generosity at the beginning of 2022, when he went against Mercedes‘s schedule, cemented the respect the journalist had for him. Reflecting on the moment when they sat down for the interview and things turned around, Schiff speaks highly of Hamilton.

Naomi Schiff exclusively told Express.co.uk that she was apprehensive about the chat. She said, “I felt like that would like disarm him a little bit if he was maybe not in the greatest mood, or whatever. I thought he’ll be nicer to me. And he was amazing. I mean, he really gave me so much time.”

She went on to praise him, “We went 15 minutes over time, and they wanted to cut the interview short. And he wanted to continue, so he was great. And then, at the end, he told me that I made him nervous!” 

Read More: Fans Slam “Biggest PR Merchants” Mercedes’ Cringeworthy Apology After Lewis Hamilton’s Disappointing Bahrain Outing

It is fair to say that both Schiff and Hamilton were nervous about the interview. However, Schiff maintains that the interview with the F1 legend was her “most special interview” to date.

Is a move to Ferrari on the cards for Lewis Hamilton?

The same presenter, who was in awe of the niceness of Hamilton, predicts that the move to the Maranello outfit may be a plausible one for the Briton. However, she goes on to highlight that his morals and loyal nature are the ones stopping him from doing that.

Sky Journalist Naomi Schiff thinks that Mercedes man’s morals may come in the way of him leaving his team for the Maranello outfit. She said, “I think Hamilton would go to Ferrari, but I don’t think he will leave Mercedes. He is a team player and wants to leave his legacy there, just like Niki Lauda. I don’t see him leaving at the last minute after all these years with the team.”

Watch This Story: Lewis Hamilton on various talk shows

Do you think the tides of time will change for Hamilton and Mercedes? Or do you think the iconic partnership is now a thing of the past?