F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019 39
Septembersaw
thelaunchofthe
thirdTommyXLewis
collectionon-track success has accelerated. Mercedes boss
Toto Wolff admits these outside interests really
work for his star driver.
“Lewis is somebody who needs to be able to
pursue his other ambitions,” Wolff told the
BBC’s Andrew Benson last July. “If he’s able
to do a fashion showthat excites him, or record
some music... he can come back stronger and
more energised.”
Music culture in America isethni cally diverse.
Achievement is recognised and talent celebrated,
particularly if the path to success has been a
bumpy one. Hamilton has felt welcomed and
lauded as a young man from a mixed-race
background who has conquered the world.
The first title with McLaren was one thing,
but the Lauda-inspired move to Mercedes has
led to anunpre cedented level of achievement
and recognition.
In the UK, Hamilton’s appearances onchat-
shows includingParkinson,The Jonathan Ross
ShowandThe Graham Norton Showhave been
dwarfed by the profilegenerated in America
through interviews onJimmy Kimmel Live,The
Ellen Show with Ellen Degeneres,The Late Late
Show with James CordenandThe Daily Show
with Trevor Noah.
This is noteasy work. Hamilton mustcope with
inevitable ‘what isFormula1?’ questions: How
fast dothey go?How much is an F1 car worth?
Do youwant to moveto NASCAR? Hetakes each
in his stride, understands the opportunity that
is affordedto him by being on these platforms.While someat h ome complain about Lewis
developing anunappealing mid-Atlantictwang,
Amer ican media complement him onhis ‘lovely
British accent’.Once again it setshim apart.
His relationship with Nicole Scherzinger
might have promoted Hamilton ontothe
society sections of media around the world, but
being seen in the company of singers Rhianna,
Christina Aguilera, Jess Stone and Rita Ora, or
with models Winnie Harlow and Gigi Hadid,
means thepapara zzi are never far away. This is
the world of Hamilton beyond Formula 1.
If music is a first love, fashion is hispassion.
One complements the other. Having spent time
with design icons such as Donatella Versace and
the late Karl Lagerfield, Hamilton’s appearance
on the red carpet atthe $ 30,000-per-ticket
Met Gala measuresthe degree to which he has
well and truly arrived among the US of A-List.
Getting invited to the New York event requires
the approval of Vogue’s Anna Wintour, not
someone impressed by qualifying modes
or soft-compound tyres...
It came aslittle surprise when Hamilton’s
interest in fashionled to a high-profile
collaborationwith anestablisheddesi gn house,
in this case Tommy Hilfiger. A brandthat came to
prominence thanks to inves tors including Racing
Point’sowner Lawrence Stroll, the Tommy
Hilfiger name is by no means new to F1, having
previously sponsoredFerr ari in the 1990s.
Its eponymous owner is a fashionlegend.
Hamilton and Hilfiger launched their first“If music is a first love, fashion is his passion. One complements
the other... Hamilton’s appearance on the red carpet at the
$30,000-per-ticket Met Gala measures the degreetowhich hehas well and truly arrived among the US ofA-List”
F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019 39
Septembersaw
thelaunchofthe
thirdTommyXLewis
collectionon-track success has accelerated. Mercedes boss
Toto Wolff admits these outside interests really
work for his star driver.
“Lewis is somebody who needs to be able to
pursue his other ambitions,” Wolff told the
BBC’s Andrew Benson last July. “If he’s able
to do a fashion showthat excites him, or record
some music... he can come back stronger and
more energised.”
Music culture in America isethni cally diverse.
Achievement is recognised and talent celebrated,
particularly if the path to success has been a
bumpy one. Hamilton has felt welcomed and
lauded as a young man from a mixed-race
background who has conquered the world.
The first title with McLaren was one thing,
but the Lauda-inspired move to Mercedes has
led to anunpre cedented level of achievement
and recognition.
In the UK, Hamilton’s appearances onchat-
shows includingParkinson,The Jonathan Ross
ShowandThe Graham Norton Showhave been
dwarfed by the profilegenerated in America
through interviews onJimmy Kimmel Live,The
Ellen Show with Ellen Degeneres,The Late Late
Show with James CordenandThe Daily Show
with Trevor Noah.
This is noteasy work. Hamilton mustcope with
inevitable ‘what isFormula1?’ questions: How
fast dothey go?How much is an F1 car worth?
Do youwant to moveto NASCAR? Hetakes each
in his stride, understands the opportunity that
is affordedto him by being on these platforms.
While someat h ome complain about Lewis
developing anunappealing mid-Atlantictwang,
Amer ican media complement him onhis ‘lovely
British accent’.Once again it setshim apart.
His relationship with Nicole Scherzinger
might have promoted Hamilton ontothe
society sections of media around the world, but
being seen in the company of singers Rhianna,
Christina Aguilera, Jess Stone and Rita Ora, or
with models Winnie Harlow and Gigi Hadid,
means thepapara zzi are never far away. This is
the world of Hamilton beyond Formula 1.
If music is a first love, fashion is hispassion.
One complements the other. Having spent time
with design icons such as Donatella Versace and
the late Karl Lagerfield, Hamilton’s appearance
on the red carpet atthe $ 30,000-per-ticket
Met Gala measuresthe degree to which he has
well and truly arrived among the US of A-List.
Getting invited to the New York event requires
the approval of Vogue’s Anna Wintour, not
someone impressed by qualifying modes
or soft-compound tyres...
It came aslittle surprise when Hamilton’s
interest in fashionled to a high-profile
collaborationwith anestablisheddesi gn house,
in this case Tommy Hilfiger. A brandthat came to
prominence thanks to inves tors including Racing
Point’sowner Lawrence Stroll, the Tommy
Hilfiger name is by no means new to F1, having
previously sponsoredFerr ari in the 1990s.
Its eponymous owner is a fashionlegend.
Hamilton and Hilfiger launched their first“If music is a first love, fashion is his passion. One complements
the other... Hamilton’s appearance on the red carpet at the
$30,000-per-ticket Met Gala measures the degreeto which he
has well and truly arrived among the US of A-List”