Ahead of the 2024 Miami GP this weekend, Lewis Hamilton hosted a party at the Virgin Hotel in New York. Soon after he hosted this party, he gave an interview to Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) and explained the factors that influence his fashion choices. During his interview, he admitted that at times people need to manage discomfort if they are to flaunt their best outfits. He gave his own example of how he decided to show off his warm outfit in the Middle East even though he was “dying“.
“Climate makes a big difference too. I’ve been to Bahrain and the Middle East and worn some really warm clothing and was dying for the 30 seconds I’m walking down to the track. But that’s the price of fashion,” he explained.
Other than climate, Hamilton revealed that he decides on his fashion choices based on the brands he admires. He stated that he enjoys collaborating with designers and coming up “with custom pieces“.
The Briton then added that he also enjoys promoting “up-and-coming designers” by flaunting their outfits in the paddock. Hamilton believes that even though he is never short of options, he unfortunately only has “four days” to wear these designer outfits.
As a result, he believes “there’s only so much you can wear to the track“. Hamilton revealed that drivers then need to go back to their racing kits.
Although the 39-year-old does wear the Mercedes kit in the paddock as well, he wears the team’s outfits must lesser than other drivers. Moreover, an F1 expert has also pointed out that Hamilton could prompt other drivers also to ditch their team kits and flaunt their own outfits.
F1 expert claims Lewis Hamilton will begin a new fashion trend in the paddock
Ever since Lewis Hamilton confidently began showing off his designer outfits in the paddock, several other drivers have also begun to follow suit. Although drivers are required to wear their own team kits for a specific duration in the paddock, depending upon the terms of their contracts, an F1 expert believes that this could change.
While speaking via his YouTube channel a few months ago, veteran F1 photographer Kym Illman praised Hamilton for wearing “some amazing outfits” in the paddock. Illman then added that during his time in F1, it has mostly been only Hamilton who has had the liberty to ditch the team’s kit on most of the days in the paddock.
However, Illman believes that things could change moving forward. He pointed out how more drivers can negotiate their contracts to have the right “to wear their own choice of clothing to the track“.
Drivers are usually required to wear their team’s kits to display all the sponsors of their side. Since sponsors of the various sides will want the drivers to wear their team outfits, it seems that only the top drivers like Lewis Hamilton may be able to get away. Hence, most of the other drivers will most likely have an obligation to wear the team kits.
