{"id":25580,"date":"2025-04-16T19:46:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T19:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/25580\/"},"modified":"2025-04-16T19:46:08","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T19:46:08","slug":"lewis-hamilton-makes-big-mclaren-confession-in-didnt-feel-comfortable-claim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/25580\/","title":{"rendered":"Lewis Hamilton makes big McLaren confession in ‘didn’t feel comfortable’ claim"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lewis Hamilton recalled his early memories of the \u201cmassive\u201d pushback against his own fashion choices making it into the Formula 1 paddock.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The seven-time World Champion admitted it felt \u201chorrible\u201d in his early days in the sport by his style being confined to team kit and suits, so eventually took matters into his own hands by wearing what he wanted into the paddock which, in a sport influenced by drivers wearing sponsored and team clothing, came with its own mixed response at the time.<\/p>\n

Lewis Hamilton \u2018didn\u2019t feel like I was able to be myself\u2019 before bringing his fashion to F1 paddock<\/p>\n

It was in Hamilton\u2019s<\/a> Mercedes days where he began experimenting by wearing different clothing into the Formula 1 paddock, having begun his career at McLaren under the leadership of Ron Dennis.<\/p>\n

Now at Ferrari, the Briton admitted he had to \u201cbreak some rules\u201d in order to bring his own style to Formula 1 in years gone by, after feeling he had to fit into a \u201cmould\u201d when he arrived in the sport.<\/p>\n

Known for his love of fashion, Hamilton told Times Life & Style<\/strong> last year that, when it came to choosing his own outfits for paddock arrivals: \u201cI just started taking the risk, I started to just do it, even though I wasn\u2019t allowed to, and eventually [people] noticed the positive effect that it was having. I had to break some rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since then, other drivers like Zhou Guanyu have publicly cited Hamilton as inspiration for wearing different clothes into the Formula 1 paddock, and while the seven-time World Champion has said \u201cthe pushback was massive\u201d to what he did when he first started bringing his own style to the sport, he has seen other drivers follow his example since.<\/p>\n

More on Lewis Hamilton and the F1 2025 season so far<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc49\u00a0F1 2025 power rankings: Who are the best performers on this year\u2019s grid?<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc49 Lewis Hamilton car collection: Take a closer look at his incredible private garage<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cJust before I got to Formula 1, I remember being looked up and down by a boss, and he definitely wasn\u2019t impressed with what I was wearing,\u201d Hamilton told Vogue<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was probably in FUBU and Timbs. I remember thinking, \u2018Shoot, I\u2019ve really got to fit into this mould.\u2019 And my dad expected me to fit into that mould too.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes I would dress one way leaving the house, then drive down the road and change into a baggy, swagged-out look.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would go out and have the best night ever, then change back into what I left the house wearing before I came home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first signed with F1 I was only allowed to wear suits and team kits, and it was horrible. I didn\u2019t feel comfortable, and I didn\u2019t feel like I was able to be myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cEventually, I had the courage to push beyond those boundaries and say, \u2018Look, I want to turn up to the track in what I want to wear. I\u2019m here now\u2014you can\u2019t get rid of me or change the way I dress.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pushback was massive, but when the sport saw the impact of my little runway, other drivers started doing the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read next:\u00a0Hamilton\u2019s telling Mercedes to Ferrari comparison with qualifying back in spotlight<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n