38 YO Lewis Hamilton May Be a Daredevil Surfer and Skydiver Now, but the Adrenaline Junkie Got His Fix Even as a Child

Vidit Dhawan | 10/10/2023
38 YO Lewis Hamilton May Be a Daredevil Surfer and Skydiver Now, but the Adrenaline Junkie Got His Fix Even as a Child

Lewis Hamilton is a huge adrenaline junkie and has always been passionate about taking part in adventure sports. While F1 as a sport is not short of risks, the 38-year-old is not afraid to try his hand at others. Over the past several years, the Briton has tried his hand at surfing and also skydiving. Since the Mercedes driver is often looking for that adrenaline rush, he has opened up in a recent interview about how he would also take part in such risky activities even when he was a child.

It was just a few months ago when Hamilton tried his hand at surfing and attempted to push himself into unchartered territory. In that instance, he went against the advice of 11-time surfing champion Kelly Slater and had a life-threatening experience as a result.

Speaking of the same, Hamilton told robbreport.com in an interview, “Kelly was like, ‘there’s no way you’re going out there’. And I was like, ‘Kelly, I’m going out’. This thing was massive, a huge tunnel, and I could see Kelly coming right down it in front of me. And I just had to make sure I didn’t get sucked in. So I dived down and grabbed the reef and prayed. I could hear the thing land behind me, like a bomb going off“.

Similarly to the surfing incident, Hamilton also took time off his F1 schedule last season to try his hand at another extreme activity like skydiving. A day before he was about to skydive, the seven-time F1 champion explained in an interview with Youtuber Supercar Blonde how he couldn’t sleep because of the excitement he had to do the same.

Lewis Hamilton reveals how he was as a child

In a recent interview with Canal+, Lewis Hamilton was asked about how he was as a child. In reply, the Briton replied with a smile, “I was like Denace the Menace 2.0. I was climbing trees. I was riding my bike down the fastest hill, naturally super competitive in everything that I did. My dad helped me to concentrate that energy into racing“.

He then added how he still continues enjoying being like a child and does not feel embarrassed about the same. After stating the same, Hamilton added that he enjoys playing with his nephews and tries to register as many wins as he can.

The 38-year-old stated that he never has any intention of letting his nephews win against him because he believes that it is important for children to learn how to lose when young. It is this habit of being competitive and trying out new things that give Hamilton the adrenaline rush that he needs.

Hamilton once labeled himself as an “adrenaline junkie

In an interview with DESUS & MERO’s official YouTube channel towards the end of last season, Lewis Hamilton explained how he hates practice sessions and requires the adrenaline rush. The 38-year-old began by stating that whenever drivers have practice, it can “get quite tedious” after the first hour.

I don’t really like practice. It’s like a whole day of just going round and round. I don’t enjoy it. I like the morning first hour and then I’m on cruise control,” he explained. After stating the same, Hamilton then concluded his remarks by stating that he is an “adrenaline junkie” and needs high speeds.

Post Edited By: Pritam Priyedarshi

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Vidit Dhawan

Vidit Dhawan, a Formula 1 Editor at The SportsRush, is intrinsically connected with everything around the sport — from the engine roar, the cacophony on the grandstands to the action. He fell in love with F1 during the inaugural Indian GP in 2011. After more than a decade of deep engagement with the sport, Vidit insists he will remain a lifelong fan of Fernando Alonso, and sees the future of F1 in Charles Leclerc. A sports fanatic from childhood, he discovered his passion for writing while pursuing a bachelor's degree in international and global studies. Vidit has written over 1,700 articles, ranging from news reports to opinions. He thrives covering live action, and loves to dig into the contrasting personalities in the F1 bandwagon and narrate their journey in life as well as the sport. Vidit also follows tennis and football, enjoys playing as well as coaching chess.