Lewis Hamilton F1 News: Mercedes star terrifying near death experience

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Australia, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Hamilton reveals TERRIFYING near death experience

The Brit spoke of a terrifying incident while out surfing in Hawaii

Tyler Rowlinson

Thursday 30 May 2024 18:59

Lewis Hamilton has revealed a terrifying near-death experience whilst appearing on a popular online show.

The seven-time F1 world champion currently sits eighth in the drivers’ championship, having recorded 42 points thus far in 2024.

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Last time out in Monaco, Mercedes secured their joint-biggest haul of points so far this season, with Hamilton finishing seventh and team-mate George Russell coming home fifth, ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen.

However, Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of the season and will partner Charles Leclerc at Ferrari from 2025 on a multi-year contract.

Lewis Hamilton is currently eighth in the drivers' standings

Hamilton reveals near-death experience

Along with being statistically the greatest F1 driver of all time, the 39-year-old is well-known for his fashion sense and has other interests outside of the sport.

One of these includes surfing, having been trained by 11-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater.

Speaking on the popular YouTube series Hot Ones, in which celebrities answer questions whilst consuming increasingly spicy chicken wings, Hamilton revealed a near-death experience he had while out in the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii.

“Biggest wipeout I had I was with Kelly Slater, on Pipeline,” he said. “It was like 20ft waves and Kelly was like ‘there’s no way you’re coming out there. You’re crazy.'

“As I started to try and paddle in, I got sucked into the kill-zone basically.

The Brit described a near-death experience while surfing in Hawaii

“I turn around and see this set of four waves coming and that for me was like: ‘it’s over, it’s all over.’ As I threw my board, I dove down and grabbed the reef and I could hear this wave crash behind me. My board got ripped and snapped in half.

“I came back up, obviously gasping for air and the next one was coming so back down, grabbed the reef again as another wave comes over. So I did that three times. I got up, I’d nearly run out of air. I’d nearly drowned, but managed to swim back from there.”

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Charles Leclerc George Russell