The Sunday Mail
Lewis Hamilton was buzzing in Baku on Friday, not because of any magic fixes Mercedes had introduced to his struggling car ahead of today’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but to matters off the circuit.
The seven-time world champion confirmed he was closely involved in a new film starring Brad Pitt, describing his collaboration with the two-time Oscar winner as “pretty epic”.
And Hamilton spoke of “the great honour” at learning that he had been made an honourary citizen of Brazil.
Hamilton said he had to be careful not divulging too many details about the as yet unnamed movie project, which has been acquired by Apple’s streaming service.
Reports last week in Variety magazine say it centres on Pitt as a retired F1 driver making his return to the track.
“I don’t plan to be in it,” Hamilton told a press conference ahead of his practice run for today’s eighth round of the world championship.
“It’s been a long time in the waiting. I have been working on the script, which is fun, spending time with Brad, which is pretty epic.
“My responsibility is that the cast and crew are diverse,” he said.
He acknowledged that previous feature films about F1 have more often than not failed to do the sport justice.
“You look at them and can’t say they are spectacular. We want to show how great this sport is and keeping its true heritage.”
The heritage, culture and diversity of Brazil was also on his mind after becoming an honourary citizen of the country with which he has such a deep affection.
“It’s very surreal, a huge honour, I was surprised when I heard like everyone else,” said Hamilton.
“Brazil is always a place I have loved as a kid, following Ayrton (Senna) I was naturally drawn to the country.
“I won my first Formula One championship in Brazil and had such an epic race last year.”
Turning to matters closer to home, today’s race, he looked incredulous when told at the press conference there was a feeling Mercedes will be more competitive.
“Where is that feeling coming from?” asked Hamilton, on the exact day 15 years ago that he won the first of his 103 grand prix in Montreal.
After the Silver Arrows’ well-documented issues with ‘porpoising’ or bouncing, Hamilton has mustered only 50 points after the first seven races, with teammate George Russell garnering 84.
The underfire German constructor introduced significant upgrades in Barcelona last month, with Hamilton saying the new direction the team was going “has been positive so far”.
He said the rocky start to 2022 with the new technical landscape was “an experience that has pulled the team closer than ever before, that’s what happens when faced with adversity”.
Russell, who has scored points in each race so far this year, believes post-Barcelona they now have a car they can get “much more out of”.
“Sometimes you have to take a small step back to take three steps forward,” he added. –
AFP
