Lewis Hamilton faced an unexpected moment during a Ferrari fan event in Shanghai, hosted by Shell, ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. A video message from Richard Hammond caught the Formula One star off guard, prompting a confused reaction from the seven-time world champion.
The Surprise Video Greeting
Hammond, the 56-year-old former Top Gear presenter, delivered a good-luck message on screen. “Lewis, the folks at Shell Helix have asked me to send you a message, rather thoughtfully,” he said. “We shall all be watching. All the best, mate. Good luck.”
Hamilton’s Hilarious Response
Visibly puzzled as the clip ended, Hamilton turned to the crowd with a raised hand in bewilderment. When asked for a reply, he admitted, “I’ve never met him before. I don’t really know him.”
Bursting into laughter, Hamilton added, “I’ve seen him on TV a couple of times. So it’s very strange. I was not expecting to see him of all people. Why did you choose him? I don’t know, it could have been anyone. But it’s nice, the message was really nice. Thank you so much. I grew up watching his show. So, just caught me by surprise.”
The audience joined in the laughter at the awkward yet lighthearted exchange.
Fans and Clarkson Weigh In
Social media users quickly pointed out that Hamilton had appeared on Top Gear twice, likely crossing paths with Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson, and James May. One fan posted, “Never met him?? Lewis was literally on Top Gear twice.”
Clarkson, 65, responded in defense: “In Lewis’s defence, James and Richard never met the guests.”
Focus Shifts to the Track
Starting fourth for Saturday’s sprint race, Hamilton ed satisfaction with the session. “I’m really pleased,” he said. “The engineers did a fantastic job to turn the car around; it felt great. But we’re losing a lot of time on the straights. There’s a lot of work to do to hunt down the leading pack.”
