Does Verstappen really arrive at F1 race tracks before Lewis Hamilton? F1 insider reveals truth

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen v Lewis Hamilton

Does Verstappen really arrive at F1 race tracks before Lewis Hamilton? F1 insider reveals truth

Another myth has been dispelled by Kym Illman

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 8 August 2026 08:30 Updated: 08:41

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Legendary photographer Kym Illman has revealed the standard arrival times of both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, dispelling myths told by a former F1 boss.

Hamilton and Verstappen are the two most successful drivers of their generation, and occupy first and third in the all-time lists of grand prix victories and podiums.

The pair's rivalry was symbolised by the fierce battle for the 2021 world championship but, despite both having been on the grid together since 2015, that is actually their only title fight against one another.

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This year, Hamilton is back up at the sharp end of F1, currently sat in second in the drivers' championship. But he is in a title battle with 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli, while Verstappen is all the way down in sixth in the standings.

Former Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer recently said that, despite his team's poor form and therefore his inability to challenge for this year's title, Verstappen is still the first to arrive at the track every day.

Now, legendary photographer Kym Illman has revealed that this is not true, and that Hamilton is actually often at the track before Verstappen, as are a number of other drivers.

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Kym Ilmman reveals driver arrival times

Illman is at the track every race weekend as a photographer, and revealed that he gets to the circuit ahead of all the drivers '90 per cent of the time'.

Having already dispelled comments Szafnauer had made about Hamilton's paddock photographs, Illman went on to say on his YouTube channel: "Otmar also said that Max is always the first driver to arrive and hit the track at a grand prix weekend.

"That's absolutely wrong too! Max is a mid to late arriver most times, like Lewis is. For example, Miami day four, Lewis 8:21am, Max 9:10am.

"I could give you another 30 examples but you and I are both too busy for that. So take it from me, Lewis does not choreograph his arrivals every day for the media, and Max certainly is not the first driver every day."

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F1 Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Otmar Szafnauer