An adrenaline junkie at heart, Lewis Hamilton once went out surfing for a promo event with Monster Energy. The seven-time world champion was joined in his shenanigans by Big Wave surfer Makua Rothman and Pro Moto Champion Dylan Ferrandis. Surfing at the Texas Surf Pool in Waco, Hamilton revealed it is his favorite sport even ahead of F1.
Publicly revealing his favorite sport to be surfing, Lewis Hamilton detailed the reason behind it. His love for water and the oceans plays a crucial role in his decision, apart from the positive effect on his mental health.
“Surfing is my favorite sport. It really is my favorite sport. I love the ocean and I love the water and the power and the movement particularly of the ocean.”, he said.
Skydiving, snowboarding, and dirt biking are only some of the adventure sports that Hamilton loves. Every chance the Briton gets, he undertakes an activity many would be afraid of. However, his favorite activity remains surfing, and the Mercedes driver is often clicked with a surfboard in his hand as he makes his way to the beach.
Adventure sports often bring an element of risk alongside them, and Hamilton is no stranger to them. The 39-year-old has come face to face with several major incidents when surfing, but none of them were as scary as the one that made him fear for his life.
Lewis Hamilton once came face to face with a life-threatening event
Appearing on the famous ‘Hot Ones’ show, Lewis Hamilton detailed the events that unfolded during his worst wipe-out while surfing. Asked by host Sean Evans, the #44 driver recalled the time when he went out surfing with the legendary Kelly Slater, only to look death in the eyes.
⚠️ | Lewis Hamilton says he nearly drowned during surfing:
“My board got ripped off and snapped in half.”
“I nearly ran out of air. I nearly drowned. I was like, ‘I’m going to die.'”#F1
— Formula Scoop (@formulascoop) May 30, 2024
Describing the episode, Hamilton recalled how he saw four monster waves headed his way, with there being no escape. The waves were so strong that they even snapped his surfboard in half. Amid the chaos, the Briton caught hold of a reef, which he used to duck inside the water, each time a wave hit.
By the third time, Hamilton was nearly out of air. Holding on for dear life, he made a break for it and swam back to the shore. Eventually, the episode only became a memory in Hamilton’s mind, rather than fetching a much more severe and brutal result.
