The road to the top of F1 glory has been a tough one for Lewis Hamilton. Being the only black driver on the grid was already a challenge, but his off-beat lifestyle and unique clothing style made him an easy target for the people looking to criticize his every move. However, it did not stop the Briton from being himself, and 16 years since his debut, the 38-year-old has become an icon and a role model for the new generation of drivers.
The world of F1 is entering a new phase as there has been a huge shift in dynamics in the workplace. Drivers have become much more comfortable to be able to express themselves using their clothes and are no longer afraid to be unique and make a statement with their loud clothing. The expression of their individuality and the confidence to represent who they are comes from the efforts of one man, and that is Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton happy to have brought a new trend to F1
Back in 2007, a shy British driver started to rise through the ranks of F1 and make a name for himself as the most exciting new talent on the grid. While his driving skills were a sight to behold, the driver’s fashion sense and his carefree nature of what the world would think made him stand out from what was already a pretty exclusive club. The driver was none other than Lewis Hamilton, who, 16 years later, sees the fruits of his labor. Speaking to GQ Magazine, the 7-time world champion expressed his elation after seeing the newer drivers be more comfortable in expressing themselves.
“Everyone in general has started to be more and more open-minded and now no one comments on what I wear. It’s just like, that’s what Lewis does. But at the beginning, jeez, people definitely criticised. [Formula One] was an environment where you couldn’t really be yourself. Now you’re starting to see people really blossom, which is really cool.”
Drivers such as Valtteri Bottas, Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo, and Pierre Gasly stand as the most prominent examples of people who have drawn inspiration from Hamilton and choose to make bold statements with their clothing choices. While the choice has been a pretty straightforward one for them, things were very different for Hamilton, who had to face major backlash before bold fashion became the norm of F1.
Hamilton faced a lot of backlash for his fashion sense
Before he became an esteemed member of the Business of Fashion 500 list, Hamilton had to face a lot of ridicule from F1’s senior officials. Bernie Ecclestone was at the helm of the criticism as he believed Hamilton had little interest in racing. Instead, the former F1 supremo thought Hamilton’s “funny clothes” were a way of garnering attention and getting noticed. Ecclestone also believes Hamilton has done very little to help George Russell and has instead spent most of his time getting his closet ready for each race.
However, Hamilton chose the path of resilience as he felt his “daring” fashion choices would help open minds in F1. The Briton believes his choices will make the paddock more tolerant of other people’s choices and make them respectful of how people represent themselves. In a world that has never been about fashion, the 38-year-old is using his clothes to make powerful statements and bring about some much-needed change in the way the off-track operations take place in F1.
