Lewis Hamilton details how he got F1 boss to rip up contract agreement - 'It was horrible'

Fashion pioneer has explained how he worked up the courage to negotiate terms in his F1 contract so he could wear his own clothes on race weekends. The seven-time world champion has become known for his unorthodox dress sense over the years, and it wasn't always as accepted as it is today.

Ferrari driver Hamilton - who finished a season's best fifth in Sunday's Bahrain GP - has made a point of using the paddock as his own personal runway, sometimes modelling outfits far outside the norm in F1. And his preference of clothing was initially judged harshly by the sport's establishment. Hamilton, 40, now operates his own clothing label, Plus 44, and is an ambassador for brands like Dior and Lululemon, while he also had a long relationship modelling for Tommy Hilfiger. Drivers had long been instructed on exactly what to wear around the F1 track for years, but Hamilton bucked the trend after feeling suffocated abiding by those rules.

"Just before I got to Formula 1, I remember being looked up and down by a boss, and he definitely wasn't impressed with what I was wearing. I was probably in FUBU and Timbs," he told for their May cover interview. "I remember thinking, 'Shoot, I've really got to fit into this mould.' And my dad expected me to fit into that mould too.

"Sometimes I would dress one way leaving the house, then drive down the road and change into a baggy, swagged-out look. I would go out and have the best night ever, then change back into what I left the house wearing before I came home.

"When I first signed with F1 I was only allowed to wear suits and team kits, and it was horrible. I didn't feel comfortable, and I didn't feel like I was able to be myself."

It sometimes takes just one anomaly to bring through change - and it helps if that person just so happens to be one of the most dominant forces ever seen in their field. And with a newfound confidence built around his success, Hamilton worked up the courage to transform his sport and change the terms of his contract.

He continued: "Eventually, I had the courage to push beyond those boundaries and say, 'Look, I want to turn up to the track in what I want to wear. I'm here now-you can't get rid of me or change the way I dress.'

"The pushback was massive, but when the sport saw the impact of my little runway, other drivers started doing the same thing."

It is often written into drivers' contracts how often they should wear their team's official suits and other clothing accessories featuring sponsors. However, Hamilton has previously negotiated contracts that allow him to wear his own clothes at the track sometimes.

The Brit has largely been seen donning official Ferrari gear in the paddock this season. However, he was spotted wearing a tartan shirt and smart grey trousers before qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix last month.

His next opportunity to express himself - and claim a first race victory of the season - will come in Saudi Arabia this weekend as targets its first podium finish of 2025, having so far struggled to keep up with McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull.