An F1 driver’s life may seem glamorous from the outside, and to some extent, it is. However, there are significant downsides. Veteran scribe Peter Windsor, who has also been the manager of teams such as Ferrari and Williams in the past, recently provided a humbling insight into the negative role the media plays, using Lewis Hamilton as an example.
Windsor explained how drivers can be heavily scrutinized due to narratives created by the press. He suggested that the F1 media often portrays drivers as ‘superstars,’ which can lead to situations where these drivers struggle to meet the long-term expectations set by such reputations.
Windsor told YouTuber Cameron how Hamilton has stood as an outlier because he has never obliged with the media. He remains his authentic self and has somewhat alienated himself from their scrutiny.
“The media make it increasingly difficult for the real Lewis to project himself to the point where he now just cowers away from them and you know, doesn’t really do very much with them and that’s no surprise because he knows that they’re always after the negative story,” Windsor said.
The side of Lewis the media doesn’t show, the Red Bull guys coming over to congratulate them on his amazing comeback @LewisHamilton @MercedesAMGF1 @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/oeag0AKqa0
— Aleef™ (@AleefHamilton44) November 24, 2024
Windsor also highlighted the dissonance in how Hamilton is portrayed in both written and broadcast media. While these outlets seek different angles on the Briton, they have never truly revealed the real person behind the #44 driver.
In November 2024, Hamilton was furious at the F1 media for allegedly taking Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s comments on him, out of context. He openly challenged reporters to try to pull him down with whatever they have got.
“I’ve been around this game for a long time. There’s been so many things that are said about me, there’s been so many micro-aggressions – obviously not from my boss because he’s been supportive over all these years and we’ve achieved a lot together – but I mean in general, within the media and through it all, and nothing can take me down.” ‘
Eight years prior to that, Hamilton stormed out of a press conference after being asked about expressing his displeasure towards a few media reports slamming him for his comments on his engine failing at the Malaysian Grand Prix that year. The 7-time world champion was also unhappy with the format of the press conference, which involved Hamilton having to answer questions simultaneously with five other drivers after a race was completed.
It was that press meet which made Hamilton stop attending any more of those in the years to come. Coming back to the present, nothing has changed for the British star. What would be interesting is how Ferrari would approach Hamilton’s media problems and whether would he change his stance for them if required.
Is Hamilton’s media sabbatical a problem for Ferrari?
The former Mercedes driver is rarely seen giving interviews or participating in video content, even for official F1 channels. The 40-year-old makes occasional appearances for sponsors or select legacy media outlets. However, this approach could pose a challenge for his Ferrari career, which begins in a month, as he seeks to win the favor of the passionate Tifosi.
Top drivers who raced for Ferrari before Hamilton are the likes of Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Felippe Massa, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. All these stars have personalities which endear them to the media and Ferrari fans alike, throughout the world.
Hamilton could be an exception when it comes to Ferrari. The Italians are looking to gain their vintage popularity and dominance back, having not won the Constructors’ Championship since the last 16 years.
But Hamilton is not the only top driver who is not in favor of the F1 media. The likes of Sebastian Vettel, who also drove for Ferrari in the past, and Max Verstappen, are in this list although for different reasons.
Although Verstappen feels that the F1 media is more biased towards Great Britain, Hamilton might disagree. The Italian media has already begun spotlighting the Briton as he prepares to race for the Maranello-based outfit.
However, their focus remains primarily on Hamilton’s extravagant lifestyle, as highlighted by Corriere della Sera’s recent coverage of his ‘$420 million business empire’. What could work in the champion’s favor is that Ferrari is looking to improve his on-track results, while he also looks to end his 3-year drought of not winning the Driver’s Championship. So the media coverage would be the last thing on the mind for both the parties as long as a genuine controversy does not come up.
