Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton ahead of the first Miami GP: “We have a new rear wing here, we are doing everything we can to go faster.” He also again speaks about the ban on jewelry.
North America has always been good for Lewis Hamilton: he won his first Formula 1 World Championship race in 2007 in Montreal (Canada) and then competed in the Indianapolis Grand Prix a week later. He won the inaugural Austin GP in 2012 and also won the Circuit of the Americas from 2014 to 2017. He now has seven victories in Canada.
America is Hamilton’s second home: he skis in Colorado (he owns a house there) or tears up on a snowmobile, he works in a recording studio in Los Angeles, he feels just as comfortable in New York. As in Miami Beach.
Lewis: «I will never forget my first trip to the States. After seeing America on TV several times – especially New York – I felt as if I was walking on a film set. It was wonderful.”
I remember Lewis’ words when he said on our first visit to Austin: “I think Formula 1 can grow tremendously in the USA. People here love the sport and they will love Formula One.”
But it wasn’t until the Netflix series Drive to Survive to wake up the sleeping giant: There’s always been a hard core of Formula 1 fans in the US, but the public drawn to the GP by the spectacular Netflix documentary -Sports Alert it was done. Since then, people have been following the dominant class who had never heard of Formula 1 before.
Ahead of the first practice session of the Miami Grand Prix, the 103-time GP winner says: “We are warmly welcomed here, the atmosphere in the city is electrifying. I have prepared well, which is easy given the good weather .and I played a little golf with Tom Brady.” Lewis begins to laugh: “But I’m not good enough.”
«Miami is as great as I expected. I previously spent a few days in New York listening to a discussion on the street without people knowing who I was. ‘I’m going to Miami for the auto race!’ – ‘what? Wow great!'”
What can we expect from Mercedes this weekend? Lewis continued: “We are doing our best and I know what is going on in the background to make Mercedes faster. We have the new rear wing here.”
Does Hamilton think the Silver Arrows will look better than Ferrari and Red Bull Racing? British dry: “I have no hope.”
The FIA has reiterated its intention to impose its ban on a Formula 1 driver wearing jewelry in a racing car. Lewis Hamilton: «I find it all a little weird. We’ve made such great progress as a sport that I look at this discussion as a step back. I’ve been in Formula 1 for 16 years and I’ve always worn jewellery. But in the car I only have rings on my ears and nose, and I can’t even remove them. I wonder – isn’t there anything more important that we should be worried about? And I am in touch with Mohamed (Ben Sulayem, FIA President) to find a suitable solution.”
But if the FIA insists on a ban, then what? Lewis: «I don’t know. I can’t remove some jewelry, but it’s platinum and not magnetic. I’ve had medical scans before, and even then it wasn’t a problem. If that doesn’t allow me to drive, I’m sure there’s enough entertainment in town for an interesting weekend.”
“It’s about being able to be myself. And if it’s necessary, I’ll just sign a waiver and take responsibility for any consequences.”
