Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Lewis Hamilton may have been struggling with his form on the track but his fashion game never takes a hit. For many, his flamboyant outfits in the paddock are worth a separate discussion altogether. The reputation, however, has come at a cost. Hamilton reflected on one such incident that gave him a health scare.

The seven-time world champion recently sat down for an interview with WWD. During the interview, he recalled one of the outfits he wore during the Bahrain GP. Ignoring the sweltering heat of the Middle Eastern country while choosing his outfit proved to be disastrous for him.

Hamilton said, “Climate makes a big difference too. I’ve been to Bahrain and the Middle East and worn some really warm clothing and was dying for the 30 seconds I’m walking down to the track. But that’s the price of fashion.”

The Briton was perhaps referring to the outfit he wore to the Bahrain GP race day in 2023. Hamilton walked down the paddock in an all-brown ensemble. The full-sleeved round-neck shirt, coupled with trousers layered with an open loin cloth looked excessive in the heat. To top it all, Hamilton wore ankle-high sneakers to complete the look.

Given his commitment to go the extra mile to flaunt his fashion choices, Lewis Hamilton has landed the most sought-after brands in his endorsement list. Among those is Tommy Hilfiger, the designer brand he launched his own clothing line with. Hamilton’s obsession once reached such a level that he also landed Toto Wolff in trouble.

When Toto Wolff had to cover up for Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton launched his own Tommy Hilfiger clothing line in 2018 ahead of the Singapore GP. The Briton walked the ramp in Shanghai during the launch. This led to him arriving late for the media day, inviting journalists’ ire. The media houses questioned his commitment to professionalism but team principal Toto Wolff defended his star driver.

Wolff said, “Lewis Hamilton is a friend of mine and his drive to be creative, successful in the fashion industry is something that I permitted from the beginning. Because we have that pact, he performs.”

Toto Wolff is well aware of Hamilton’s obsession with the world of fashion. Being an ace manager, the Austrian knows when to give his star driver a little leeway and when to tighten the strings.

The Singapore GP was one such incident where he defended Lewis Hamilton despite perhaps knowing that the Briton was at fault. In return, Hamilton delivered yet another championship for the team that year and continued that run until 2021.