Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton admits he’s ‘terrified’ of trying this sport

Hamilton has been weighing up sporting options outside of F1

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Tuesday 17 February 2026 23:00

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed which sports have caught his eye away from Formula 1 as the 2026 Winter Olympics get underway — and named the one event he’s simply too scared to try himself.

The 41-year-old is a keen snowboarder and made the most of the F1 off-season by hitting the slopes with his family, even sharing a series of wholesome photos and videos from the mountains with his niece, Willow.

The Ferrari star enjoyed some much-needed downtime during the shortened winter break, following a frustrating first season with the Scuderia that failed to live up to expectations.

Article continues under video

After some major personnel changes both at Ferrari and within his personal squad, Hamilton is now deep into his preparations for the 2026 season, where his bleak assessment of the new regulations are the talk of the paddock.

Last week following his first stint at the wheel of the SF-26 in Bahrain, Hamilton told media that fans would struggle to understand all the new terminology that comes with the chassis and power unit regulations overhaul, a sentiment that was echoed by fellow Brit and reigning champion Lando Norris.

F1's presence at 2026 Winter Olympics

"I'm going to be watching the halfpipe, I love snowboarding so, it's actually something I really want to try is a halfpipe but I'm terrified of doing it," he admitted, then proving his point by ending the video with a nervous laugh.

But Ferrari would surely encourage the former Mercedes star to hold off from any halfpipe attempts until his time racing in red is completed!

F1's presence has been felt at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with the commentators on the snowboard cross events often leaning on F1 terminology to explain how vital the racing line is to win in the chaotic event.

The recently departed DRS even got a mention in Sunday's snowboard cross coverage before Team GB's Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale went on to make history by winning gold in the mixed team event.

The terrifying halfpipe mentioned by Hamilton saw Australian snowboarder Scotty James miss out on an elusive gold medal once again in a heartbreaking end to his fifth Winter Olympics.

James is good friends with fan-favourite former racer Daniel Ricciardo and is brother-in-law to Aston Martin F1 star Lance Stroll, having married his sister Chloe Stroll in 2023. The couple now also share a baby together, whose grandfather is of course Aston Martin F1 owner, Lawrence Stroll.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari social media