"Just very surreal" - Lewis Hamilton reacts to US presidential candidate Kamala Harris calling him her favorite driver

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said it was "very surreal" for him to hear US Vice-President Kamala Harris say that she was a big fan of his and the sport. Hamilton added he was "pleasantly surprised" at hearing the politician's remarks.

F1 has captured the imagination of fans in the US, with an influx of many new fans owing to the popularity of the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive'. The series, which debuted in 2019 on the streaming platform, presents behind-the-scenes stories and focuses on drivers as personalities. It became a phenomenon during the pandemic, with fans then flocking to watch the sport across the world.

One such fan of the sport is the Democratic Party Presidential nominee and current Vice President Kamala Harris. Appearing last week on the "Howard Stern Show," Harris said that she was a big fan of the sport. She said (via Motorsportweek),

“It’s so good – we love it, our whole family does. I haven’t been able to watch it a lot recently, because I am campaigning. Also, depending on where they are driving, and the time of day."

When asked about her favorite driver in F1, she responded:

“Lewis Hamilton, of course. He’s leaving Mercedes. You should see it, you might get hooked, it’s good stuff.”

Ahead of the US Grand Prix this weekend, Lewis Hamilton was asked for his reaction to Harris's comments and said,

"I was pleasantly surprised to hear that, I didn't know that she was a fan..just very surreal...kinda crazy that maybe in the white house they'll be watching Grand Prix."

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Lewis Hamilton previews the US Grand Prix this weekend

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton stated that the German team was bringing a huge upgrade package to the Circuit of the Americas this weekend but was tentative about the team being able to extract full performance, given the limited track time owing to the US GP being a Sprint weekend.

As per Motorsportweek, the seven-time world champion said:

“It’s pretty impossible unless you’re just lucky and it [the upgrade] works from the get-go. Last year we came here and I didn’t have to change much and the balance was sweet from the get-go. Nine and a half times out of 10 that’s not the case.

"It’s difficult but everyone’s in the same boat. That puts a lot of pressure and a lot of focus on simulation. We’re hoping that we’ve definitely made more than enough mistakes and hopefully we’ll be able to start on a better platform.”

Mercedes have solidified their standing as fourth in the constructors' championship with 329 points and have won three races this year. However, they have been unable to showcase their true pace following the summer break and have fallen behind the top three teams on the grid in terms of results.