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SPA, BELGIUM – AUGUST 25: Toto Wolff and Austria and Mercedes with George Russell of Mercedes and Great Britain and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Great Britain during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 25, 2022 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

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SPA, BELGIUM – AUGUST 25: Toto Wolff and Austria and Mercedes with George Russell of Mercedes and Great Britain and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Great Britain during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 25, 2022 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)
It’s difficult to think of even one more sport or activity that can match the adrenaline rush of racing a Formula 1 car. That being said, when the drivers aren’t strapped into their cars, they do tend to find that high elsewhere. Many drivers, past and present, have always turned their attention to other forms of adventure sports. For instance, Lewis Hamilton has a documented history of taking part in a plethora of adventure sports, including skydiving. But for George Russell, it would appear that Toto Wolff may have tied his hands.
Hamilton and Russell have gotten on really fine at Mercedes. Even though the young pretender beat the established legend over the course of the season, the respect between the two still seems to remain intact. That being said, George Russell still probably isn’t on Lewis Hamilton’s speed dial yet!

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Formula One F1 – Brazilian Grand Prix – Jose Carlos Pace Circuit, Sao Paulo, Brazil – November 13, 2022 Mercedes’ George Russell celebrates after winning the race alongside Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and teammates REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
During a promotional video for Mercedes’ sponsor Petronas, Hamilton asked Russell, “Would you skydive?” To which the 1x Grand Prix winner seemingly outed his teammate. “Yeah, I’ve been asking you to take me!” When the 24-year-old realized that ex-Mercedes protégé Nyck de Vries had also been skydiving with the 7x Champion, he aired his disappointment. “I didn’t get an invite.”
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But an invitation to Russell would’ve actually been in vain. As it turns out, he isn’t allowed to skydive. He revealed when asked by Hamilton!
Hamilton is an avid skydiver. However, even the 7x champion draws a line in the sand once in a while.
Lewis Hamilton never surfs in the ocean for this reason
You’d be well within your rights to expect that a man who can both skydive and drive a Formula 1 car to seven championships, can do anything. However, there is one thing that even the brave Lewis Hamilton always avoids doing.
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Hamilton is a keen surfer, too. However, he has a few self-imposed restrictions on himself. During the outtakes of F1’s famous Grill-the-Grid series, Hamilton was quoted as saying, “I just don’t go in the actual ocean cause I know there’s actual sharks there! They have a very high rate of shark attacks in Florida, from what I know. Australia and Florida are the two places people get eaten!”
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WATCH THIS STORY: Jeff Gordon’s throwback moment from the 90s
Why do you think Lewis Hamilton is allowed to skydive and George Russell is not?
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