Lewis Hamilton Defies New York Mayor as Brit Performs An Iconic Formula 1 Move on Fifth Avenue

Published May 2, 2024 | 12:58 PM EDT

New Yorkers were treated to a never seen before F1 show run as Formula 1’s 7x world champion, Lewis Hamilton, sped down Fifth Avenue and performed donuts in front of the Empire State Building. The iconic performance saw the Big Apple get front-row seats to a breathtaking scene.

This show happened to promote Mercedes’ partnership with WhatsApp. It was the radio button on the $50,000 steering wheel, which was replaced by WhatsApp’s logo. To add to that, the instant messaging app even transformed its red car emoticon to one that looked like a Mercedes AMG F1 car. However, the most interesting bit about the whole partnership was Lewis speeding down Fifth Avenue and also defying the Mayor’s instructions.

On CBS Mornings, Gayle enquired, “I was told that you were told not to donuts.” With Lewis laughing in the background, Gayle continued, “But then they said, Gayle, he is a race car driver. How can he not do donuts? ” Smiling and laughing, Lewis then admitted, “I was told not to do donuts. I heard that the mayor asked us not to do it,” he further explained the reason for disobeying the official instructions, revealing his wish to treat people with more car visibility.

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But apart from this detour from instructions, the event proved to be a blockbuster one.

Lewis Hamilton’s iconic show run became a much-celebrated event

“If you see something say something 🗽 Had fun with this one, thanks for showing out New York. Miami next ⏭️,” wrote Lewis Hamilton in his Instagram caption as he gave a glimpse of what went down. The three-picture montage had Lewis celebrating on top of his car, Toto Wolff, and others from the Mercedes crew, and the last one being the donuts (the ones which he was asked not to perform). And many celebrities came forward to applaud it.

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The social media and instant messaging giants like Instagram and WhatsApp didn’t waste any time in celebrating the icon in his iconic setup. The official handle of Instagram commented “An Icon” with a fire emoji and WhatsApp commented, “laying rubber on the NYC streets 💨🤩” Multiple celebrities including Ashley Graham also chimed in by calling him a “Legend”. It is safe to say that the WhatsApp marketing team deserves a pat on the back for pulling this wonder.

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What is your favorite Lewis Hamilton-off-track moment?

Written by:

Anmol is an F1 writer at EssentiallySports. With a background in journalism and a passion for motorsports, she brings a unique perspective to her coverage of the world of F1. Anmol's interest in the sport was piqued after watching Lewis Hamilton's interview with David Letterman, and she has been a dedicated follower ever since.

Edited by:

Shreya Singh

Lewis Hamilton Defies New York Mayor as Brit Performs An Iconic Formula 1 Move on Fifth Avenue

Lewis Hamilton’s iconic show run became a much-celebrated event

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