Lewis Hamilton drops fresh clues as social media goes crazy for upcoming announcement

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed more clues about his upcoming announcement, expected on 8 August.

The Ferrari driver caught the attention of fans earlier this week after sharing a photo of a smoking matchstick leaning up against a matchbox with “08.08” printed on it. Now, Hamilton has shared a reel on Instagram with the caption, “We’ve struck the match. Now follow the smoke.” The video has been viewed 4.1 million times at the time of writing.

The fast-paced edit shows Hamilton placing several images on a table, lighting a match with the same matchbox he shared before and burning incense sticks.

While the details of the announcement remain unconfirmed, the latest post indicates that it’s likely part of one of his number of businesses outside of F1 racing.

The British driver has seen considerable success in areas away from motorsport, including his non-alcoholic spirit brand, Almave; his production company Dawn Apollo Films, which was recently involved in the F1 movie; and various fashion collaborations.

Some fans have speculated that the announcement could be related to his second capsule fashion collection with Dior, which was announced earlier this month.

“My second lifestyle capsule with Dior is here,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “A heartfelt thank you to the incredible team I had the pleasure of working with – your passion, creativity, and dedication made this journey unforgettable. To everyone at the house of Dior, thank you for your patience, enthusiasm, and commitment throughout the process.

“I truly cherish the time we spent designing these pieces together. I’ve learned so much from each of you and will always be grateful. It’s always a privilege to be in a room full of such inspiring artists and thinkers.”

Hamilton was also a co-chair of the 2025 Met Gala, with the theme of Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.

“I really was,” Hamilton commented to the media after the event when asked if he was pleased with the reception to his outfit, designed by British designer Grace Wales Bonner.

“I always try to be really intentional, especially at that event. The theme was very close to my heart, it was something that I spoke to Anna [about] three years ago, so I was one of the first to be a part of starting talking to her about it.

“And then finding someone that I really felt could encapsulate what the theme was, our culture, and then I love details.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images

“Bringing in those little elements that really pay homage to my ancestral background, and it’s really quite cool to then see people going and focusing on those pieces and then finding out a little bit more about them.

“I think that’s really what those moments are really about. We can all continue to be able to learn from things like that, it’s not just a fashion moment.

“And that was a really special moment, for black people that night was massive, it was huge. I know my grandma and my grandad would have been incredibly proud, and my ancestors.”

Photos from Hungarian GP – Thursday

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team