He is a top racer with seven World Drviers’ Championship titles to his name.
And Lewis Hamilton proved his talents don’t finish on the track as he went surfing in Malibu with a group of pals on Monday.
The F1 driver, 37, took time off from his busy schedule to soak up the California sun as shocking footage emerged of former world champion Nelson Piquet using a racial slur to describe him in an interview last year.
Trip: Lewis Hamilton proved his talents don’t finish on the track as he went surfing in Malibu with a group of pals on Monday
Styling his locks into a ponytail, Lewis sat on his surfboard and chatted with his friends between surfing the waves.
Lewis slammed Piquet, 69, on Tuesday after the former world champion used the N-word while referring to Lewis on a podcast with the publication Estadao back in November. Piquet twice used a racist term, which is Brazilian slang for the N-word.
The former driver, who won the world title in 1981, 83 and 87, had been discussing the accident between Hamilton and Max Verstappen on the first lap of last year’s British Grand Prix.
He suggested that Hamilton, 37, pushed Verstappen off the track on purpose, ending his race, and used the word to describe the British driver.
Relaxed: The F1 driver, 37, donned a navy wetsuit as he took time off from his busy schedule to soak up the California sun
In a video released on Monday, Piquet – whose daughter Kelly is dating Hamilton’s rival Verstappen – said: ‘The n******* put the car in the wrong way and didn’t let [the other driver swerve].
‘The n******* put the car in the wrong way on the corner, it’s because you don’t know the curve. It’s a very high curve, there is no way to pass two cars and there’s no way you can put the car aside. He did [Verstappen] dirty. His luck was that only the other one was gone.’
On Tuesday Hamilton hit back at Piquet’s racial slur, writing ‘Imagine’ next to a tweet which said ‘what if Lewis Hamilton just tweeted ‘Who the f*** is Nelson Piquet?’ then closed twitter’.
S𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s: Lewis showed off his surfing abilities as he rode the waves on a blue board
Day out: Styling his locks into a ponytail, Lewis sat on his surfboard and chatted with his friends between surfing the waves
Success: Lewis is a top racer with seven World Drviers’ Championship titles to his name
Responding to the racist comments, Hamilton said: ‘It’s more than language. These are archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport.
‘I’ve been surrounded by these attitudes and targeted my whole life. There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action.’
He also posted a message in Portuguese, Piquet’s native language, which translates to ‘let’s focus on changing the mindset.’
Brazilian Piquet described the incident as a ‘joke’ on the podcast, and said Hamilton had been ‘lucky’ that Verstappen only crashed.
Race: Lewis will be making the most of his time off ahead of the British Grand Prix on Sunday
Grand Prix: The racer will descend on Silverstone for the 10th round of the 2022 season and will be joined by other favourites including George Russell
Hopes: Speaking ahead of the Grand Prix, Lewis said: I really hope, moving to Silverstone… it’s such an important race for us and for me and so I really hope that… I just want to be in a battle [with Red Bull and Ferrari]’
It is not the first time that Hamilton has been targeted with racial abuse, and previously clashed with ex-F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone who took aim at the politicisation of the sport last year, suggesting Formula One was not racist and claiming Hamilton was ‘being used’ by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Formula One chiefs on Tuesday slammed the former Brazilian champion for making the comments during an interview.
In a statement they said: ‘Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable in any form and has no part in society.
‘Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect.
‘His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we are committed to at F1.’
Shock: Shocking footage has emerged of former world champion Nelson Piquet using a racial slur to describe Lewis in an interview last year
The seven-time world champion hit back at Piquet’s racist comments, calling for ‘action’ against the ‘archaic mindsets’. He added a message in Portuguese, the Brazilian drivers native language, saying ‘let’s focus on changing the mindset’
Piquet used the racial slur while expressing his opinion that Hamilton had made a mistake by crashing into the Dutch driver, and ending his race.
The Mercedes driver was handed a ten-second penalty for the incident, but went on to win the race and cut his points deficit to Verstappen.
Verstappen was sent crashing into the barriers at the side of the track at a force of 52G and needed to be taken to a nearby hospital for precautionary checks.
The opening lap ended abruptly for the Red Bull driver, 24, after colliding with his championship rival at Silverstone’s notorious Copse corner.
This weekend’s British Grand Prix marks a year since the heated incident, which was one in a series between the two championship rivals as they fought for last year’s world title.
Overjoyed: Earlier this month, Lewis finished third in the Canadian Grand Prix and declared: ‘I am back to being young again!’
Fighting form: A week after struggling to climb out of his Mercedes in Baku after being bounced around in the cockpit, the seven-time champion’s back pain had vanished
Thrilled: Having finished behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, the 37-year-old Briton said: ‘It’s quite overwhelming to get this third place’
The championship battle ended in controversy during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which saw Verstappen win his first world title on the last lap of the race.
In a statement Mercedes said: ‘We condemn in the strongest terms any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind.
‘Lewis has spearheaded our sport’s efforts to combat racism, and he is a true champion of diversity on and off track.
‘Together, we share a vision for a diverse and inclusive motorsport, and this incident underlines the fundamental importance of continuing to strive for a brighter future.’
Lewis will be making the most of his time off ahead of the British Grand Prix on Sunday.
He added: ‘It’s been such a battle this year with the car, but we continue to stay vigilant, focused and never give up. That’s something I’m proud of’
Lewis said: ‘We’re getting closer, so we’ve got to keep pushing and pushing, and hopefully we’ll eventually be in the fight with these guys’
Struggle: he Mercedes driver has not won any of his last 10 races – equalling the longest run of his career – and sits 98 points adrift of last year’s title rival Max of Red Bull
Candid: Three-time champion Sir Jackie Stewart admitted he thinks the time has come for Hamilton to pursue his various other interests
Stewart said: ‘It’s time for him to resign. He’s got music, he’s got culture, he loves clothing and the rag trade would be absolutely suitable for him’
The racer will descend on Silverstone for the 10th round of the 2022 season and will be joined by other favourites including George Russell.
Speaking ahead of the Grand Prix, Lewis said: I really hope, moving to Silverstone… it’s such an important race for us and for me and so I really hope that… I just want to be in a battle [with Red Bull and Ferrari].
Earlier this month, Lewis finished third in the Canadian Grand Prix and declared: ‘I am back to being young again!’
A week after struggling to climb out of his Mercedes in Baku after being bounced around in the cockpit, the seven-time champion’s back pain had vanished.
He added: ‘I’m sure he’ll be very successful because he’s been earning a huge amount of money — rightfully so because he’s been the best of his time’
Shocking: It comes as Formula One slammed three-time world champion Nelson Piquet for using a racial slur to describe Lewis
Awful: Piquet, 69, used the N-word while referring to the seven-time world champion on a Brazillian podcast
Incident: The former driver, who won the world title in 1981, 83 and 87, had been discussing the accident between Lewis and Max on the first lap of last year’s British Grand Prix
Having finished behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Lewis said: ‘It’s quite overwhelming to get this third place.
‘It’s been such a battle this year with the car, but we continue to stay vigilant, focused and never give up. That’s something I’m proud of.
‘We’re getting closer, so we’ve got to keep pushing and pushing, and hopefully we’ll eventually be in the fight with these guys.’
The Mercedes driver has not won any of his last 10 races – equalling the longest run of his career – and sits 98 points adrift of last year’s title rival Max of Red Bull.
Race: The opening lap ended abruptly for the Red Bull driver, 24, after colliding with his championship rival at Silverstone’s notorious Copse corner
Penalty: Mercedes driver Lewis was handed a ten-second penalty for the incident, but went on to win the race and cut his points deficit to Verstappe
An F1 statement said: ‘Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable in any form and has no part in society’
They added: ‘Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect. ‘His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we are committed to at F1’
Excuse: Brazilian Piquet described the incident as a ‘joke’ on the podcast, and said that Lewis had been ‘lucky’ that Verstappen only crashed
And three-time champion Sir Jackie Stewart admitted he thinks the time has come for Hamilton to pursue his various other interests.
‘It’s time for him to resign,’ said Stewart, 83. ‘He’s got music, he’s got culture, he loves clothing and the rag trade would be absolutely suitable for him.
‘I’m sure he’ll be very successful because he’s been earning a huge amount of money — rightfully so because he’s been the best of his time.’
Claims: When asked about the crash back in November, Piquet suggested that Lewis pushed Verstappen off the track on purpose
Rivals: This weekend’s British Grand Prix marks a year since the heated incident, which was one in a series between the two championship rivals as they fought for last year’s world title
In a statement Mercedes said: ‘We condemn in the strongest terms any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind’ (Nerlson Piquet pictured in 2018)
Lewis Hamilton reveals scary moment he nearly drowned surfing with Kelly Slater
Lewis Hamilton reveals scary moment he nearly drowned surfing with Kelly Slater
Lewis Hamilton has detailed the terrifying moment he thought he was going to die while out on the water with the American pro surfer Kelly Slater.
The Formula 1 driver, 39, was surfing the notoriously dangerous Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii with Slater when the 20 foot high waves became unmanageable.
Hamilton attempted to paddle back to shore but “got sucked into the 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 zone” of the surf reef and immediately thought his life was over.
Speaking on the Hot Ones podcast, Hamilton said he jumped from his surfboard and submerged himself underwater to avoid four giant waves that were coming towards him.
The Formula 1 driver’s surfboard was snapped in half by the monstrous waves and he was left fighting to survive beneath the surface of the water.
“I could hear this wave crash above me,” he said. “I came back up gasping for air but the next [wave] was coming so I went back down. I nearly ran out of air. I nearly drowned.”
“After that I was like, ‘ok, massive props to these surfers,’” he added.
Lewis Hamilton Kelly Slater and Shane Warne at the Australian Cricket in 2007 (Getty Images)
Hamilton began surfing with Slater when he joined his Surf Ranch in San Joaquin, California, back in 2019.
The F1 driver is not the only celebrity to train with Slater. Chris Hemsworth has been surfing with the pro as early as 2016, when they hit the waves in Fiji while on holiday.
Hemsworth has also been involved in near-death surfing accidents. Back in 2018, the Thor star was thrown off his board in Canada after a ginormous wave hit him in the back of the head.
The actor laughed off the incident, writing on social media at the time: “Trying out a new move here, it’s called ‘get smashed in the back of the head by the lip and dusted along the reef’.
“It’s so much fun, don’t try it.”
Elsewhere in Hamilton’s Hot Ones interview, he described the “awesome” thrill of racing through Silverstone’s famous Maggots and Becketts section, claiming the corners are “beautiful”.
Hamilton thought he was going to die when 20 foot waves crashed onto him in Hawaii (PA Wire)
Turns 11 and 13 at the British Grand Prix track have become among the most notable on the Formula 1 calendar since the race settled in Northamptonshire in 1987.
Until 1991, the corners were relatively distinct but cars now take on the sequence almost as one at high speed, flying into the section after the equally quick Copse corner.
“They are not treacherous,” Hamilton said. “As racing drivers, we don’t look at them as treacherous – we are thrill seekers.
“For me, it’s awesome, you want to go through the corners faster. I remember the first time I drove a Formula 1 car in 2006: Copse is normally a corner you take at full throttle at 190mph.
“I was thinking, ‘you’ve got take it hard, go for it’. They were really impressed that I went for it so much,” he added.
Hamilton continued: “But Maggots and Becketts is just the most beautiful, fast-flowing section. You’re full speed all the way in, doing 190, 200 [mph] or something like that, and that’s where you get the most G-force.
“Your body is being thrown around, your insides are being thrown around. But when you hit the sweet spot, it’s like poetry in motion.”
