Author: quyen1

Credits: Imago

Away from the world of F1, Lewis Hamilton is a man dedicated to driving social change. He set up a charitable foundation called Mission 44, to empower young people and help them overcome social injustice. Contrary to a belief that Hamilton just writes a $20 million cheque to his foundation, CEO Jason Arthur reveals that the Briton is actually more hands-on with his approach.

As revealed on the ‘Track Limits’ podcast, Hamilton continues to be a part of the ground operations of Mission 44. He regularly calls the team discuss their strategy and helps with communications, designing inspiring content and bringing new people in. 

Furthermore, the 39-year-old often visits Mission 44’s partners to hear what they are doing. He assists in organizing fundraisers for them, so that they can continue to grow and help more young people in need.

To be able to do so much is a massive feat, given how busy Hamilton is. With 24 races on the calendar this season, traveling alone can be exhausting. Then comes the PR duties for his team’s sponsors, and the races themselves.

Plus, Mission 44 is not Hamilton’s only off-track venture. He has his own clothing brand called +44, and is working on producing a Hollywood movie with star Brad Pitt.

Why Lewis Hamilton set up Mission 44

Mission 44 exists to serve just one purpose- allow every young person with the means to succeed, regardless of their background.

Young people from across the globe face a lot of discrimination through no fault of their own, and Mission 44 exists to battle the same. Hailing from humble beginnings himself, Lewis Hamilton had to overcome a lot of barriers to reach the pinnacle of motorsports. 

Having won seven World Championships, the Stevenage-born driver driver doesn’t want his legacy to just be about racing. He wants to leave a mark on young people, providing them with means to achieve their dreams.

Jason Arthur reveals how Hamilton always wanted to see change, especially in the F1 paddock. But growing frustrated at the lack of progress until 2021-2022, he launched The Hamilton Commission. 

Since its inception, The Hamilton Commission has inspired a lot of change within the F1 community. Teams such as Mercedes and McLaren have adopted new initiatives to develop younger, more diverse talent in the sport.

Even the governing body of F1 is doing a lot more to increase diversity in the paddock, drawing inspiration from Hamilton’s initiative. 

Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC and IMAGO / Newscom World

Lewis Hamilton, one of the most influential athletes of all time, is never short of celebrity friends. However, arguably the biggest name he is close to was recently revealed by Mission 44‘s CEO Jason Arthur. Per him, the seven-time world champion is in touch with former American President Barack Obama and went on a vacation with his family.

Arthur was part of a recent episode of the Track Limits podcast, where the hosts asked him what he would do if he woke up as Lewis Hamilton one day. He said,

“He relatively recently went on holiday with the Obamas. So I might just give President Obama a call.” 

Hamilton’s journey in F1 can have parallels drawn to Barack Obama’s in the American political landscape. Both, pioneers for their communities, created history becoming the first black figures in their respective fields.

After being elected as President of the USA in 2008, Obama became the first African-American leader of the country. Similarly, Hamilton (who made his F1 debut in 2007), remains the only black driver to have ever reached the pinnacle of motorsport.

Being a very popular figure in the US, Hamilton also caught Obama’s eye. The two have developed a friendship, and the ex-President’s wife Michelle Obama was also present in Miami last year to cheer the Mercedes driver on.

Lewis Hamilton and Obama’s friendship

In March 2023, as reported by The Daily Mail, Hamilton went out for dinner with Barack and Michelle Obama at a restaurant in Melbourne. The news sent shockwaves through the paddock because no F1 driver in history had star power as big as the 39-year-old.

Hamilton’s close ties with the Obamas were also on display at the 2023 Miami GP, when the former First Lady of the United States hugged him ahead of Free Practice 3.

Hamilton has several high-profile friends in the US and all over the world. There are 24 races on the calendar, and at almost every track the Briton visits, there is someone there to support him.

Obama aside, there was another former President who graced the F1 world recently. Donald Trump was present at the Miami GP paddock and visited the McLaren garage. Trump also made headlines when he greeted first-time race winner Lando Norris following his victory.

Credits: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Lewis Hamilton will move to Ferrari in 2025, completing a blockbuster move that will change F1’s landscape. With that, other things in Hamilton’s vicinity are poised to change as well, including his foundation, Mission 44. Still unclear about the future, CEO Jason Arthur talks about whether Hamilton can work hand-in-hand with Ferrari.

Arthur was a guest in the latest episode of the ‘Track Limits’ podcast, where the hosts asked him about the impact Hamilton’s Ferrari transfer will have on Mission 44. He said,

“As Lewis transitions to working with Ferrari, Mission 44 hopefully, will develop strong links with Ferrari too.” 

Nonetheless, Arthur remains uncertain about the extent to which they can work with the Maranello-based outfit. Recognizing that Ferrari is a huge brand, he knows that having them provide a platform to bring about change will be huge.

“They’ve [Ferrari] done some work in embracing diversity,” he added. “If they grow that, working with Mission 44 enables them to grow that further, you know, that’s only good for the sport overall.” 

Hamilton knows what it is like to face adversity and be a victim of discrimination. Being the only black driver in F1, it is his dream to have people from more diverse backgrounds in the paddock. In his bid to achieve the same, Hamilton invested $20 million in Mission 44 and also started the Hamilton Commission in 2022, and Mercedes helped him immensely with the same.

So, it is unlikely that Hamilton would have agreed to a Ferrari move had the outfit not guaranteed him help with his off-track ventures.

Ferrari promised Lewis Hamilton more than on-track success

One of the main reasons behind Hamilton leaving Mercedes is the Silver Arrows’ underperformance. Since 2022, they have fielded cars that compete in the midfield, and Hamilton has gone without a race win for almost three years now.

At 39, he wants a fair shot at winning his eighth world title. And for that, Ferrari seemed like his best shot (in terms of available seats). Additionally, it is also one of the most iconic teams in the sport, and Hamilton’s had a dream of donning the red overalls someday.

Ferrari offered Hamilton a $100 million-a-year salary. His total contract is rumored to be worth north of $400 million. The team’s President John Elkann also reportedly guaranteed Hamilton financial involvement in his 0ff-track ventures like Mission 44.

If Elkann funds Mission 44 like promised, Hamilton could end up getting an even bigger platform to spread his messages.

Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

Adrian Newey may have mixed emotions about leaving Red Bull after 19 long years. However, it seemingly has made him more relaxed, as was evident during the Miami GP, given the way he was speaking and posing for photos. Now, the British designer has gone a step further to show his stress-free mind space by taking the wheel of the 1968 championship-winning F1 car – the Lotus 49B – at the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco.

According to a video on Twitter (now X), Newey is driving the Lotus 49B at Circuit de Monaco. The Lotus 49B is a car that Graham Hill drove to win the 1968 F1 world title, designed by the legendary designer, Colin Chapman.

Chapman was one of the celebrated F1 designers and also founded the Lotus F1 team. Before Newey came on the scene, Chapman was the pioneer to start the usage of ground-effect cars in the late 1970s and early 80s. Following the Lotus founder, all other teams innovated their cars to follow the ground effect philosophy.

However, the 1968 car was the second car after the Lotus 49 to use the iconic Ford Cosworth DFV engine. Back then, aerodynamics was not as advanced an area of focus in F1 cars as it became from the 80s onwards.

Newey is an individual who has studied many of these past-era cars during his early years as an engineer and aerodynamicist. So, it might have been an honor for him to drive one of these iconic cars at the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique.

However, this is not the first time that Newey has got the taste of an old F1 car. The Briton has designed several championship-winning challengers. Apparently, he drove one of his title-winning cars but did not like the experience of it.

When Adrian Newey got behind the wheel of the Williams FW15

Adrian Newey once drove the 1993 Williams FW15C and felt quite claustrophobic in it. It was reportedly at the end of the ’93 season at Circuit Paul-Ricard in France. Newey described this experience as “World War III breaking out“ in the car’s cockpit.

The Briton acknowledged how he had not paid attention to several things from a driver’s perspective, having designed the car. Despite having traction control in the car, which was a major exclusive innovation at Williams, Newey was “wrestling with the car”.

He also quite embarrassingly stalled the car by going a bit too smooth on the clutch. Later on, Newey also spun out when it started to rain and perhaps took some learnings to make the car more aerodynamically efficient.

The Williams cars of 1992 and ’93 designed by Adrian Newey can arguably be called his best creations. Back then, the Colchester native was only in his fifth year of working in F1. Despite that, he produced some of the most innovative breakthroughs for the FW14B and the FW15C.

The FW15 had traction control, anti-lock brakes, and an active suspension. While the FIA banned these innovations later, it provided Williams with two utterly dominant championship seasons in’92 and ’93, with Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost winning the drivers’ titles respectively.

Credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto and IMAGO / eu-images

Owing to the epic rivalry, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen may seldom express similar opinions. However, the devastating floods in Brazil have brought the duo together. The Dutchman, with the help of his partner Kelly Piquet, made a sizeable donation to the affected area. Hamilton has now joined the pair to express solidarity with the victims.

Lewis Hamilton recently uploaded a story on Instagram showing the level of destruction the floods have caused. He shared the video posted by The Guardian which included a statement issued by the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Hamilton wrote, “Heart is with everyone in Brazil affected by this flooding.”

Lewis Hamilton is an honorary Brazilian citizen, which makes his statement even more powerful. The Briton got the honorary citizenship in 2022. The South American nation’s government recognized his love for the country and its icon, Ayrton Senna, before making the move. They held an elaborate ceremony in the presence of high-ranking dignitaries to honor Hamilton.

Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul is reeling under devastating floods. The ordeal started last week as excessive torrential rains handicapped the state. As per Reuters, the calamity has already claimed 113 lives and displaced more than 337,000 citizens. The death count is unfortunately expected to rise as civil defense reports 146 individuals as unaccounted for.

Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet’s herculean effort for Brazil

The calamity in Brazil hits home for Kelly Piquet owing to her Brazilian roots. She is currently leading a campaign to collect donations to help flood-affected areas. Helping her is her partner and reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen.

Verstappen gave away a signed Red Bull Racing T-shirt for an auction. The proceeds from the auction will go to an organization called ‘The Bazaar For Good’. A non-profit organization, The Bazaar For Good is a collective of 30 established women with a strong social media presence all over the world.

The Bazaar For Good works towards the betterment of underprivileged children all over the world. They regularly hold campaigns and have one going on to raise funds for Brazil. The ongoing campaign aims to raise more than half a million dollars. Until now, they have raised more than $100,000, as per Kelly Piquet.

Piquet is one of the 30 members of the host committee of The Bazaar For Good. She recently shared a video depicting the destruction in Rio Grande do Sul and made an appeal for donations. Kelly has earlier raised her voice for the children affected by the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Credits: IMAGO PanoramiC

Brazil has found itself in an unfortunate situation as rain-induced floods continue to batter the nation. The southern state of Rio Grande do Sul is among the worst affected areas. Amid worldwide calls for help, Kelly Piquet has made an effort as well. The Brazilian model has so far raised $100,000 and is expecting the figure to grow.

Kelly Piquet is part of a collective called The Bazaar For Good. The non-profit organization consists of 30 women who have a strong social media presence.

They together work towards helping underprivileged children around the globe. Currently, they are holding a campaign in Miami which is expected to raise $500,000. All proceeds will go to the flood relief work in Brazil.

The Bazaar For Good has opened a clothing outlet that features a Red Bull Racing shirt. It was a contribution from the reigning F1 champion and Kelly’s partner, Max Verstappen. The Dutchman gave away the signed T-shirt for the auction, becoming the first F1 driver to contribute towards the relief tasks being carried out in Rio Grande do Sul.

Rio Grande do Sul saw unprecedented levels of torrential rain last week. The magnitude of the downpour resulted in the flooding of the entire state.

As per Reuters, the death toll has already reached 113 and is expected to rise further. That is because of the 146 individuals who the civil defense has failed to trace until now. Meanwhile, the number of displaced has reached 337,000.

The calamity hits home personally for Kelly Piquet who was born in the South American nation. She earlier made an appeal through Instagram stories, urging people to donate towards the relief tasks in Rio Grande do Sul. Fortunately, she isn’t the first or last Brazilian celebrity to raise awareness.

Gisele Bundchen makes emotional appeal for flood-affected Brazilians

Gisele Bundchen, the renowned supermodel, hails from Rio Grande do Sul. She recently shared devastating visuals as floods handicapped the southern state. The appeal for help went viral in no time as F1 driver Pierre Gasly’s girlfriend Kika endorsed the call on social media as well.

In the video uploaded on Instagram, Bundchen said, “My home state in Rio Grande do Sul, south in Brazil, has had its worst tragedy in its history. Heavy rains flooded entire towns in most parts of the state. It’s not just one city, it’s more than 350 cities affected. People are not only losing their houses, their jobs, they’re losing everything and there are many still to be rescued.”

An honorary Brazilian citizen since 2022, Lewis Hamilton also recently stood in solidarity with the nation. He shared a video from The Guardian that had a snippet of the Brazilian president’s message. Hamilton wrote, “Heart is with everyone in Brazil affected by this flooding.”

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Lewis Hamilton’s F1-based Hollywood project has hit yet another hurdle. The Brad Pitt starrer has crossed the $300 million budget mark which has further complicated things. Distributors are hard to come by as the astronomical budget makes it difficult for them to break even. The current issue, however, finds its roots in the snags they hit earlier.

As per a report from Koimoi, “With a budget of $300 million, this Formula One film’s profitability is a steep climb. It needs to pull in over $750 million at the box office to break even. Warner Bros. and Sony are at the forefront for distribution, but the film’s high budget and financial demands upfront are causing headaches even for the big studios.”

One of the biggest reasons behind the climb of the budget is the 118-day SAG-AFTRA strike. The unit was in the middle of shooting when the strike hit.

That resulted in the delay in filming. Another factor contributing to the soaring budget is the extensive training of the actors who drove the race cars themselves. As a result, the production unit had to observe extra safety measures.

Distributors have, therefore, understandably developed cold feet in taking up the project. This is despite the involvement of the stalwarts of the likes of Brad Pitt and director Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick fame. The delay in finding a distributor has further complicated the decision to find a release date.

Lewis Hamilton lauds Brad Pitt for a natural knack for racing

As per Screen Rant, the film is the depiction of a fictional Formula 1 driver who returns long after retiring. The comeback marks in the form of a mentor to a younger driver who races for Apex Grand Prix, a fictional F1 team.

While no confirmation has come through official channels, in most probabilities, Brad Pitt will play the mentor’s role while Damson Idris will play the role of the young driver. Brad Pitt’s character’s driving days are, meanwhile, set in the ’90s with the 60-year-old himself driving for the scenes.

To learn the skills of a racing driver behind the wheel, the Oscar winner went through some rigorous training. Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff played a crucial role in the same.

The Austrian manager revealed, “We sent Brad [Pitt] to a driving school in France. Going through the Formula cars, from Formula 4 to all the way up and I think that was important.”

While Pitt had ample training before taking the wheel, Lewis Hamilton felt he already had a knack for race car driving. In an interview with GQ, the Briton admitted, “Being at Silverstone and just finding out that Brad is actually a racer at heart. He’s genuinely got the abilities, the skill.”

Credits: IMAGO / Jan Huebner

After Lando Norris registered his first F1 race win in Miami, Lewis Hamilton urged him to spend another night in the city to celebrate. Zak Brown (McLaren CEO) also instructed his driver to stay back and party. Not needing more reasons to let loose, the Miami GP winner put everything aside and was out all night with his friends.

Appearing on The Fast and The Curious podcast, Norris detailed how things went for him following the Miami race. He revealed that he went out for drinks and dinner with his team, having waited six long years for this moment.

Following that, however, the “real party” began. Not speaking too much about what happened at the party, Norris did reveal that he never went to sleep that night, and for good reason.

“You only win the first race once. So, I made the most of it.”

Having waited 110 races for his first win, Norris had little idea about what to expect after taking the chequered flag. Messages from old friends, celebrities, and other athletes flooded his inbox. But there was still an air of uncertainty around Norris over how to proceed.

Lando Norris did not have any expectations after his race win in Miami

Norris never planned what he would do the day he finally won an F1 race. In unfamiliar territory, Norris didn’t know the next course of action.

Emotions got the better of him and family was the first word that came to his mind. He was reminded of his grandparents right away and dedicated the win, primarily to his grandmother.

For Norris, thinking about that moment makes him happy, even now.

Having enjoyed two days off after his win, team obligations came calling for the Briton last Wednesday. The 24-year-old was back at McLaren Technology Centre to begin his preparations for the upcoming race – the Emilia Romagna GP.

Ahead of the first double header of the season (Monaco follows Imola), Norris will be hoping to continue his form and add more wins to his column.

IMAGO / PanoramiC

While Red Bull and Max Verstappen continue to frequent the top step of the podium, there are signs that the mighty champions are dwindling. At least, compared to their ruthless hold on the 2023 season. While Carlos Sainz managed to push Verstappen off the top step twice in this period, there is a new hero in town – Lando Norris. And Red Bull is worried about him.

Lando Norris is finally an F1 Grand Prix winner and he had to fight hard for it. After many “almosts” and questions about his talents, Norris gladly sipped the victor’s champagne in Miami.

Verstappen, used to being in the center during press conferences, mistakenly took Norris’ place – something Helmut Marko believes he will have to get used to in the future.

In a conversation with oe24, Marko reflected on Norris putting Verstappen on the second step. “We were just too slow.” Although insisting that Lady Luck brought out the Safety Car to Norris’ benefit, the Austrian admitted, “Overtaking in Miami is difficult.”

Marko notices the brotherhood shared between Norris and Verstappen but warns his driver. “Now it is to be feared that Lando will become even more dangerous for him on the track. Because the pressure is gone now.”

However, the 81-year-old makes one thing clear: Verstappen might get defeated in the race. But his name will still grace the Championship trophy at the end of the year.

The slip in Miami also comes at a time when Red Bull is dealing with a major internal crisis. Thus, Marko reaffirms on the Milton-Keynes-based outfit’s need to focus on the sport.

Lando Norris doesn’t want to play friendly

Marko might have warned his champion, but the words already came from the opposition itself. While celebrating his win at the McLaren Technology Centre with his team, Lando Norris made his relationship with Max Verstappen clear and issued a challenge to him.

Featured on Sky Sports, Norris said, “We have respect for one another, we get along. We’re not best friends. We don’t text each other every day, that kind of thing.”

Additionally, having tasted the high of victory, Norris wants more.

“I want to challenge him,” said the 24-year-old. “I want to race against him, I want to battle because I think he’s one of the best drivers ever in Formula One, so if I can prove myself against him, I’m proving myself against one of the best. And that’s exactly what I want to do.”

In 2022, Verstappen dueled with his friend Charles Leclerc in the initial stages of the season. Their battles drew in plaudits from all over the F1 community, which makes the prospect of a tussle with Norris all the more exciting.

King Charles met David Beckham to discuss his charitable foundation while Prince Harry was in the country, the Mail understands.

The Duke had said that his father was too busy attending to ‘various other priorities’ to see him while he was in Britain this week.

No pictures were released of the meeting and it is unknown where the pair met.

The revelation that the King met the former England captain, 49, while his son was home and attending an event two miles from Buckingham Palace may widen their rift further.

Prince Harry’s visit was planned months in advance and while the King’s visit this week to a barracks was called a ‘surprise’, his diary is also tightly choreographed.

But the Duke of Sussex had reportedly invited his father to St Paul’s Cathedral for the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games although courtiers were not aware Harry had made any specific request to see the King.

+3

The King met David Beckham to discuss his charitable foundation while Harry was in the UK, the Mail understands

+3

Prince Harry and Meghan during in Abuja during a quasi-royal visit to Abuja

The Palace has remained tight-lipped as to why the two never met despite virtually crossing each other’s paths.

While in the UK, the prince said it was ‘great’ to be back, but refused to rule out the possibility of him applying for American citizenship.

In a previous Netflix series, Harry had also suggested that he had been blocked from seeing the late Queen, despite his grandmother inviting him and Meghan to stay.

Harry rushed over in February when his father was first diagnosed with cancer, but only got a brief meeting with the monarch and Queen Camilla before they left for Sandringham.

Meanwhile the Duke of Sussex and his wife were given a rockstar’s welcome during a trip to Nigeria.

+3

Harry during his visit to Kaduna state in Nigeria. The prince has previously complained that he and his wife had been blocked from seeing royals, including his grandmother, the late Queen

Despite Foreign Office official advice warning against travel to several parts of the west African nation, Harry travelled to Kaduna state to visit a military hospital.

Leaving his wife in Abuja, the prince apologised for her absence as he arrived in the state, which is partly controlled by armed bandits and is known for reports of rapes and kidnappings.

The visit was dubbed a ‘quasi-royal’ tour, with Harry faced with accusations of ‘hypocrisy’ after travelling to high risk areas having raised concerns over his security back in the UK.

On Monday, the King is due to hand over the colonelcy of the Army Air Corps to his other son and heir, Prince William.