Former F1 driver David Coulthard is curious about what special need Lewis Hamilton feels to ask a professional bodyguard to follow him around the paddock.
Lewis Hamilton has a vast array of dedicated professionals who take care of every little detail in his career. This band has often included bodyguards, who he keeps in close attendance even while inside the paddock while working with engineers.
Coulthard wonders exactly why Hamilton feels so unsafe at the race venues and why he doesn’t ease up on his security concern.
Speaking on the Formula For Success podcast with former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan, the duo covered a vast array of topics.
Both were intrigued by Hamilton’s consortium.
“I think there’s a group of young drivers right now that seem to relate to each other,” Coulthard said.
“The only, I guess, outlier would really be Lewis, maybe it’s because Lewis has been around for longer.
“He’s the only driver who has actually a security man that works with him at the track. I don’t know what danger he feels he might be in.
“Somebody coming up and asking for an autograph? But, other than that, there does seem to be… you see quite a lot of the younger guys, your Georges, your Landos, and whoever else, hanging out with each other away from the racetrack.”
While agreeing that Lewis might be going a touch over the top, Jordan decided to stand up for the seven-time world champion.
“You’ve got to give Lewis some credit,” he said.
“Because he is still the most revered driver in Formula 1 at the moment. I know we talk about Max, but Max is a much more laid-back kind of guy.
“Whereas Lewis, he’s front of house – he’s box office, top class.”
For Jordan, it was credible that Hamilton never chose to say anything negative about his opposition drivers.
“I think full marks to Lewis because, in any of the interviews, he’ll always give credit to the other drivers around him,” he said.
“He’ll always credit them. You never hear him fall out with Russell or any of the other guys even if there is conflict or if there’s touching… Of course, recently, he did have trouble with [Fernando] Alonso. But that seems to have mended its ways.”
At this point, Coulthard intervened. “I think that’s coming more from Fernando than Lewis!”
Do you appreciate the manner in which Hamilton conducts himself or do you find it excessive like Coulthard? Let us know in the comments.
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