Lewis Hamilton’s popularity in F1 can’t be overstated. Fans often go crazy on just seeing him at race weekends even before the racing action begins. Being such a popular star, Hamilton often has security guards around the paddock. Given the way fans can mob drivers of the seven-time champion’s stature, it is perhaps also necessary for them to have security. However, Kym Illman highlighted a bizarre fact about Hamilton’s security in his latest YouTube video.
Illman mentioned how the Mercedes driver was one of the first drivers to get security guards. He added how these guards are “responsible for getting him to and from the track and getting him from point A to point B, once he is in the paddock”. Currently, Lewis Hamilton has two guards at every race, and at times, three.
The renowned F1 photographer added, “A lot of his [Hamilton’s] movement is highly choreographed and it has to be, given his immense popularity with the fan base.”
Most drivers often have multiple security guards as the fans’ craze has often crossed the limits lately. Many drivers feel it can get too much to handle.
Fans at times do not give them any personal space while wanting to take autographs and photos with them. Such cases can also lead to the robbery of expensive items for drivers like Hamilton, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, and many others.
When Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc got robbed of their watches
Lando Norris’s watch once got stolen when he attended the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium. It was a Richard Mille RM 67-02 watch, that was custom-designed for the McLaren driver.
The watch was worth $180,000 approximately. Norris was quite shocked after that incident and yet raced at the 2021 British GP.
A man named Liam Williams got arrested and also had to go through trial as one of the two accused robbers. However, Williams pleaded not guilty and was cleared by the jury after a week of hearings in the trial.
Similarly, in April 2022, Charles Leclerc also had a similar robbery of his RM 67-02 watch. Leclerc’s timepiece was worth $320,000.
A year later, the Italian authorities arrested four people for allegedly robbing Leclerc’s watch. They also found two other valuable watches in one suspect’s house. While the Monegasque may have gotten his watch back, he has faced a tough time with fans in the past two years.
Leclerc once also issued a public plea to fans who invaded his personal space at his home in Monaco. He was not at all pleased with the way several fans bothered him.
“Hey everyone, for the past few months my home address has somehow become public, leading to people gathering beneath my apartment, ringing my bell, and asking for pictures and autographs. While I’m always happy to be there for you and I truly appreciate your support, please respect my privacy and refrain from coming to my house”, he stated in his plea.
As a result, it makes sense why drivers like Lewis Hamilton and even the McLaren duo of Norris and Oscar Piastri often have security guards accompanying them.
