“I was absolutely hammered” - Lewis Hamilton reveals being picked up by his dad on his last day as a bartender

Lewis Hamilton has been a teetotaler since he entered the world of motorsports. However, he hasn't always stayed away from alcohol.

Hamilton came from a humble background. To help him realize his sporting dreams, his father worked multiple jobs to meet his financial needs. The 38-year-old himself began working at a young age, taking up the job of a bartender when he was 17 years old.

While he did enjoy the experience, the pay wasn't great and he soon quit. On his last day as a bartender, Lewis Hamilton, after his shift ended, said he got “absolutely hammered” so much that his father had to come to pick him up.

The Mercedes driver told Fox Sports Australia (via gpfans):

“I've never been into pubs. I worked at one when I was 17. I was a bartender. I think I was getting like £3.50 (€3.98) an hour or something ridiculous like that. It was minimum wage. It was a good experience. The best part was when I quit.”

He added:

“On the last day, I cleaned up the bar and I was like, 'what are these drinks that I've been giving everyone?' I tried everything and my dad had to come and pick me up! I was absolutely hammered. I tried a little bit of everything.”

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While happy with Australian GP performance, Lewis Hamilton still feels a ‘disconnect’ with his Mercedes W14

Lewis Hamilton finished P2 at the 2023 Australian GP, behind his 2021 rival Max Verstappen and ahead of long-time rival Fernando Alonso. The Briton showed incredible pace throughout the weekend, managing his car perfectly amidst the chaos of putting himself on the podium.

Speaking to David Coulthard at Parc Ferme after the race, Hamilton expressed his satisfaction with the result. He also noted that he was still not entirely comfortable with the W14. He said:

"Unlucky for George [Russell] today, really unfortunate. I didn't expect to be second so I'm super grateful for it. I still feel uncomfortable in the car though, I'm driving as best I can and working as hard as I can but still, considering we've been down on performance and in straight pace, for us to be up there fighting with Aston is amazing. We can close that gap - it's going to be tough but not impossible."