"Lewis Hamilton, do your sulky body language contract negotiations in the boardroom": When Jeremy Clarkson was left unimpressed by the driver

When Jeremy Clarkson was left unimpressed by Lewis Hamilton (Getty Images)
When Jeremy Clarkson was left unimpressed by Lewis Hamilton (Getty Images)

Popular TV show host Jeremy Clarkson was left unimpressed by Lewis Hamilton's "sulky" body language during the 2012 F1 season. This was the driver's final season with McLaren before he signed a new deal and moved to Mercedes, where he would make history in the coming years.

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Hamilton debuted in F1 in 2007 with McLaren and was poised to create history as he became a title contender in his first season. He did manage to clinch his first title the following season, but a dry spell followed in the coming years. There was seemingly some frustration in the air as Hamilton raced in 2012. There were quite a few reliability issues with the car; moreover, Sebastian Vettel was leading with ease.

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There were also rising speculations that Lewis Hamilton was splitting ways with the team and moving to Mercedes, which seemed to be a downgrade at the time.

On the day of the Singapore GP that season, Jeremy Clarkson, popular for hosting TV shows like Top Gear and The Grand Tour, shared an interesting post. Considering Hamilton's growing frustration with McLaren and a possible new deal coming with Mercedes, there was a visible change in his behavior, which many TV viewers noticed. Clarkson remarked that he should keep his "sulky body language" in the boardroom and not showcase it on the broadcast.

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Hamilton was expected to win the Singapore Grand Prix that day, starting from pole position. Sebastian Vettel chased him down from P4, but was unable to perform an overtake. However, the Briton suffered from a gearbox issue and was forced to retire early from the race, adding to his frustration.

Within weeks of the race, his move to Mercedes was announced, where he won six World Championships and set remarkable F1 records.

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Lewis Hamilton ended his legendary stint with the team in 2024 and moved to Scuderia Ferrari this year, his third Formula 1 team.


Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari's "intense" work environment

As mentioned, Lewis Hamilton is in his first season with Ferrari. Although there haven't been many highlights, there has seemingly been much going on behind the scenes.

Recently speaking to French outlet RTBF Actus, Lewis Hamilton revealed that the work environment at Ferrari is quite different from what he expected it to be. He mentioned that while the crew is highly motivated and passionate about their team, the work is "more intense" than he initially thought it would be.

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"It's not at all what I expected; it's more intense in so many areas," he said. "I didn't expect that. I didn't think the team at the factory would be so impressive. I was expecting energy, but this... it's even more intense than I imagined."

Hamilton also mentioned that the crew wore a large pride in being part of Ferrari, and he loves it, too.

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"There's a huge sense of pride within this team. During a shoot last week, I had a big smile on my face the whole time," he added.
"I love being in red! I look at the badge and I think, 'Wow!' It's Ferrari, I can't believe it. I still have to pinch myself, I think, 'I'm driving for Ferrari.' It's phenomenal."

Although Lewis Hamilton hasn't been performing too impressively with the team at the moment, he is expected to improve after the summer break. With ten races remaining in the season, both he and Charles Leclerc would have to perform rather consistently to guarantee their second place in the Constructors' Championship.

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Edited by Gunaditya Tripathi
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