Lewis Hamilton branded 'complete NUTCASE' by ex-F1 team-mate as wild youth emerges

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton branded 'complete NUTCASE' as wild youth emerges

Lewis Hamilton's childhood looked a little different than the norm

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 30 July 2025 11:57

Lewis Hamilton’s wild antics from his youth have been divulged by F1 rival and childhood friend Nico Rosberg.

Rosberg achieved his only F1 championship in 2016 and abruptly retired from the sport, where has since gone on to provide commentary and punditry for Sky Sports.

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The German returned to his role with Sky Sports at the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend, where he was roped into the commentary booth with Martin Brundle and David Croft during the hour rain delay.

It was here Rosberg revealed he had been sent a picture of himself and Hamilton when they were children, with the pair sat together on a quad bike looking incredibly fresh faced and youthful.

Prior to their F1 careers, the pair were close childhood friends during their junior karting years, although they were still fierce rivals in just about anything - even then.

Rosberg then launched into an anecdote about Hamilton’s wild antics from their youth, clearly reflecting with affection and nostalgia for their friendship.

“We were always on holiday together, we were best friends at the time. So here was us [referring to the picture] actually at my parent’s house flat-out quading. Always with an engine. Full speed on everything,” Rosberg explained.

Rosberg and Hamilton were fierce rivals at Mercedes

Rosberg reveals Hamilton’s wild childhood antics

The champion then recounted an even crazier jet ski incident, where he continued: “Lewis was proper nuts! I remember once we went jet skiing together (laughs). I was on the back of him on the same jet ski. Oh my god I had such a big shunt I flew off in the biggest way!

“And then we went with two stand-up jet skis and I was watching him go off this giant wave from the ferry. He did not lift. I have never seen someone go so high airborne and then he came crashing down and knocked open his chin when he smacked down on the jet ski as he landed (laughs).

“He was lying there half unconscious. I had to check that his chin was okay. Complete nutcase!”

Hamilton and Rosberg are best remembered for their strained relationship during their period as Mercedes team-mates, where they weathered a bitter rivalry for the F1 title from 2014 and 2016.

While Hamilton and Rosberg’s relationship has not returned to the closeness they once shared, the champion and his wife Vivian Sibold revealed that the 40-year-old leaves presents for their daughters at Christmas, which after all these years suggests a cooling in tensions.

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