Hamilton hopes "daring" F1 fashion choices helps open minds
Lewis Hamilton hopes his "daring" fashion choices in the Formula 1 paddock help open people’s minds to be more tolerant of others.
The world champion has made it a habit of wearing some unique styles at grands prix when he isn’t in regular team wear.
In Turkey on Thursday, he wore an eye-catching blue and black kilt and trousers, with a matching Burberry jacket.
And while his outfits sometimes divide opinion among fans, he said at the Istanbul Park circuit that he hoped a greater good could come from him showing that he was so comfortable wearing things that he liked.
“It's quite daring,” he said about his kilt. “I really like what Burberry is doing, and I just love the outfit.
“I go through all these different images online and find things that I like. I did a shoot with GQ a couple years ago with a kilt, and it was one that we specially made with Tommy Hilfiger, which was again just gender neutral.
“Anyone can wear whatever they want. There will be people that don't understand it, but that's okay. Hopefully they'll eventually go through the opening their mind phase and let people be who they want to be.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Hamilton, who recently attended the Met Gala and was in Paris for Fashion Week, said that his interest in these events was a world away from what people expected in F1.
“It's a much different world naturally to F1,” he said. “F1's obviously not focused on that and it's obviously very corporate. There is no fashion, actually, in F1.
“I always felt like it was always a place that it wasn't easy to be yourself. And when I went to a fashion show, when you're in a fashion week for example, you're surrounded by people from all different walks of life, expressing themselves in different ways.
“I love that environment where I'm able to be able to express myself. I now do that on the racetrack. And I feel free to be able to do so.”
Hamilton said that there was also value to him being able to switch off from F1 and get lost in the world of fashion for a bit.
“I love being able to separate from the sport, and the intensity of this whole season is difficult for everyone that's at the track,” he said.
“So to be able to have something else, another outlet, that you can focus on helps take the weight off it.
“So when I come back, it always feels fresh when I come to a GP, because it's not something I've been thinking about every single day.”
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