Hamilton Swaps F1 Prancing Horse for Real One Mark Sutton – Formula 1 – Getty Images <\/p>\n
Lewis Hamilton is well-known for maintaining a range of interests outside his day job, with music, fashion, dogs, and motorcycles among the passions that he pursues in his time off and help him to return to his Formula 1 duties refreshed. On Thursday in Austin, he revealed an unexpected new interest: horses. And not the Prancing kind that come out of Maranello.<\/p>\n
Hamilton said that equines have had such an impact on him that he calls his interest in them \u201cmy next thing.\u201d (It’s an intriguing parallel with Michael Schumacher<\/a>, who had a liking for the cowboy lifestyle that he shared with his wife and daughter.) F1\u2019s annual visit to Texas always throws up western-style crossover PR opportunities\u2014drivers wearing Stetsons, Daniel Ricciardo riding a horse at the track, even a lifesize replica rodeo bull in the paddock this year. And it was during one such photoshoot on a ranch that Hamilton finally was able to follow up on a dream from his teens.<\/p>\n \u201cYesterday, I rode a horse for the first time, so it was an unbelievable experience,\u201d he told the media at Circuit of the Americas.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was younger, there used to be a horse in a field nearby,” Hamilton said. “It was always on its own every day, so I’d go and stop, and it would come over to me, and I’d spend time with it. But then I’d start walking home and notice my allergies start kicking off, and I’d struggle to breathe. I\u2019d really struggle, and I didn\u2019t know I had asthma. It wasn\u2019t until I was around another horse another time and had an asthma attack\u2014it was a really scary experience, because I didn\u2019t have an inhaler or anything. So I stayed away from horses since that day, when I was probably 14.\u201d<\/p>\n More recently, Hamilton went through a what he called a desensitization program to address those allergies, including hay fever. Earlier this year, he was asked to do a photo shoot with a horse for Time, and\u2014helped by medication\u2014to his relief, he had no issues. That led him to agree to a similar photo op in Austin for his merchandise collection, Plus 44.<\/p>\n “I was like, \u2018Can I ride it?\u2019” he said. Hamilton climbed aboard… but then the horse started to gallop. “I was like \u2018God!\u2019 I didn\u2019t know what to do. So I panicked a little bit. But it was beautiful.”<\/p>\n The experience clearly resonated with Hamilton. “I\u2019m really excited about this next kind of phase of my life, where I\u2019m going to be around horses more and really get into riding,” he said. “That\u2019s my next thing.\u201d<\/p>\n The equine moment also helped to ensure that he arrived at COTA\u2014a track that he loves and where he’s had much success in the past\u2014in an upbeat mood, despite recent frustrations on the track that have seen him fighting for minor placings. At the last race in Singapore, he had dire brake problems in the closing laps, and had to cut some of the tighter corners in order to avoid crashing. He crossed the line less than a second clear of Fernando Alonso<\/a>; however, the FIA took a dim view of his take on track limits, and gave him a penalty that dropped him from P7 to P8.<\/p>\n Story Continues <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, the last few laps were definitely nerve-wracking,\u201d he said when Road & Track asked him how tricky it was just to bring the car home. \u201cI\u2019ve finished races before with three tires, and now I\u2019ve finished one with three brakes. Not something I want to experience again.”<\/p>\n The brake issue was a one-off, a result of a cooling miscalculation by Ferrari on a track that is always tough on cars. Austin is a reset. Still, Hamilton is under no illusions about the potential of the SF-25 given the form of McLaren, Red Bull and even Mercedes, although he remains optimistic.<\/p>\n \u201cI never have expectations, except that we give it our all and we continue to improve,\u201d he said. \u201cWe spent time after the last race going through areas we can improve on, and I really think this weekend we can take a step forward in extracting more from the car that we have.”<\/p>\n Hamilton is still trying to see the glass as half-full as the team uses the remainder of this difficult year to build towards 2026, when the goal posts move with the new rules. He wants the team to be ready to make the most of a more competitive car, and says he sees the remaining races of 2025 as a chance to keep learning for next year.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s been a couple of gems… that we didn\u2019t capitalize on. So it\u2019s about taking those good bits and continuing to take what works and change what doesn\u2019t,” he said. \u201cEveryone back at the factory really deserves a good result, and that\u2019s the sole focus\u2014to get good results, try to maximize, squeeze absolutely every point we can out of our performances on the weekends. And I really believe we can do that. So we just stay focused.\u201d<\/p>\n Hamilton\u2019s fellow Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc climbs aboard the paddock bull. JIM WATSON – Getty Images <\/p>\n
Mark Sutton – Formula 1 – Getty Images <\/p>\n
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