OVER THE YEARS, Sir Lewis Hamilton has successfully transformed the Formula 1 paddock into his own personal catwalk. Whether in head-to-toe Dior, apocalyptic chic courtesy of Rick Owens, or futuristic officewear from Burberry, there’s a reason why he’s widely considered to be one of the world’s best-dressed sportsmen. Still, his eclectic tastes weren’t always appreciated by the traditionalists of Formula 1.

“To be a racing driver, you had to fit a certain shape: go to bed at 10 PM, dress a certain way,” Hamilton told me as we hung out inside Claridges’ very exclusive penthouse suite ahead of the opening of the new Ferrari store on Bond Street. “For most of my career, every driver arrived in team kits designed by people outside of fashion; the clothes were horrendous.”

Life in a driving seat isn’t the most comfortable; he wanted to at least feel good when the cameras started flashing at the track. “I’d arrive and feel terrible wearing the same thing 180 days a year. I asked if I could show up in my own style and change into the kit later,” he says. “It took a long time to get the bosses to agree. I basically had to break the rules.”

While the seven-time World Champion doesn’t recall his first boundary-pushing outfit, it only took a few glowing headlines for his bosses to loosen up. “I just turned up one day in my own clothes,” he shares. “Once they saw the attention and positive press it brought, and how it elevated the brand and the team, they allowed me to do it every single day.” It’s fair to say that, in doing so, Hamilton has driven F1 into a much cooler place, where the athletes have more licence to express themselves through their clothing. “Corporate companies often don’t think about the style or the suit. Now, it’s become the norm to see other drivers turning up as themselves. I love that. Everyone should feel comfortable in their own shell.”

Hamilton has always been intrigued by fashion, but even in his youth, he felt restricted. “I grew up in a household where no one was fashionable, and expressing yourself was never discussed. It was a product of feeling the need to be quiet and blend in,” he shares of his upbringing in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. “Being in an environment that wasn’t diverse, you didn’t want to stand out any more than you already did by being the only person of colour in the room.” As a result, his access to fashion came through other mediums, notably popular culture.

Ferrari Style

With his career already firmly in the fast lane – he began karting at seven years old – Hamilton developed downtime hobbies that gave him access to great clothes. “When I was younger, I was always buying magazines or going to stores to read them. I was heavily influenced by music; as soon as I got home, I’d put on MTV Base or VH1. I wasn’t watching TV shows or cartoons; it was music. I was inspired by musicians and artists and their style. I discovered Prince and loved how he expressed himself. I loved Pharrell, Mace, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes. Pharrell was always a big influence.”

These days, Hamilton pre-plans his paddock looks. “There was a time when I’d say I was sort of urban chic, but that’s changed. I only really channel that when I am travelling,” he shares. “I like to channel something unique for different locations and use the platform to highlight up-and-coming designers, not just the top brands.” Through his style choices, he’s also become a regular at fashion week. “When I got to Formula 1, I went to a fashion show, and it blew my mind. In the racing world, my dad and I were the only people of colour from the time I was eight until I was 22 years old. When I went to the fashion world, I loved how diverse it was. I saw people of all shapes and forms expressing themselves.”

His own relationship with fashion led him to secure his own Dior capsule collection in 2024, when then-creative director Kim Jones tapped him to design for the house, while he’s still a Dior ambassador under Jonathan Anderson’s reign at the brand. While he’s breaking records on the track, he’s also become one of the hottest commodities in the fashion world.

Today, through his place on the Ferrari team, he receives custom-made clothes from the brand’s fashion line, Ferrari Style. He explains that the brand, overseen by creative director Rocco Iannone, understands his vision. Case in point: for his arrival at the opening of the store on Bond Street, he wore a silk-blend black overcoat (with a Ferrari scarlet lining) over a tunic-like sleeveless top. Sleeves, after all, would hide the flash of a Richard Mille on his wrist. “Every day is something new with Ferrari,” he continues. “I’m still learning about the team and the culture. The Ferrari fashion brand has been growing, and to see it expand with its first store in London is a privilege. They’re doing very big fashion shows—they had Anna Wintour there!”

And there’s really no better person to front the brand than Hamilton. A certified fashion guy, as we wrap up, Hamilton explains that after the store opening, he’s jetting off to Tokyo for work. As a keen thrifter (he “loves Camden market”), he’s eager to explore the city’s sprawling vintage stores. So, what’s he in the market for? He explains that he donates all of his clothes to charity after he’s worn them, but that doesn’t stop him from buying new stuff. “I also love vintage tees, particularly ones with images of Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali”. We’ll be keeping an eye out for them on the grid.

This article first appeared on Esquire UK

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