Lewis Hamilton says fight with F1 bosses left him 'feeling like an outcast'

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton says fight with F1 bosses left him 'feeling like an outcast'

Let the man be himself!

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Wednesday 30 September 2026 12:50

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Lewis Hamilton has opened up on how he has had to battle to arrive at F1 races in his signature style.

The seven-time world champion is well known for his sometimes eclectic fashion sense, as well as his work with fashion brands away from the track - launching a clothing line with Tommy Hilfiger, and currently acting as a Lululemon brand ambassador.

Hamilton also co-chaired the world famous Met Gala in 2025, when the theme was 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style'.

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The Brit has revealed to The Times that he's battled with team bosses on whether he should be arriving to race weekends in team branded clothing or not, admitting that wearing team colours for a quarter for the year is 'a killer' for him.

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Hamilton: I felt like an outcast in the paddock

“You’re in team kit for 90-odd days a year. For me, that’s a killer," he said.

“[His bosses] were like, ‘You have to arrive in team clothing’. And I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I’ll change into team clothing. You’ll be seeing me in team clothing all weekend. But when I arrive I want to wear my own clothes. It’s important to me'. "

“This is my confidence thing," he added.

"There’s nothing worse than being restricted in terms of who you want to be.”

F1 vs fashion and one huge difference

Hamilton went on to compare and contrast the worlds of fashion and F1, continuing: “I was really inspired by how diverse the fashion industry was. People from all walks of life wearing things in their own way, and they don’t apologise.

"I work in an industry where, when I joined, people felt very restricted. They couldn’t wear what they wanted.

“I remember walking into the paddock each weekend and feeling like an outcast, then going to a fashion show and feeling like, this is where I belong. These are my people.”