London - Dig the bling or cringe at every flashing jewel, there is no mistaking Lewis Hamilton as the transcendent superstar of Formula One.
Now, even as he edges towards his second world title, he is thinking about life and fame beyond the track’s narrow confines.
Having just separated from his manager Simon Fuller - the mogul behind the Spice Girls and one-time manager to David Beckham - Hamilton has dropped his clearest hint a career in the music industry may await him.
“A lot of drivers come back in commentary, but I have different plans and aspirations,” he said after winning Sunday’s US Grand Prix to extend his championship lead to 24 points. “It’s about positioning myself so when I stop I have something to continue with.
“There’s going to be an undeniable urge to get back in the car, because I’ve been racing since I was eight.
“At some stage, when I retire, I’ll have something that I’m also really interested in that is a substitute for racing. So that’s something I want to start working towards.”
MUSIC “ON THE AGENDA”
Hamilton, 29, counts a number of rap stars as friends, sometimes bringing them to races and even putting them up in his own suite. And one of Hamilton’s inner circle told me music was “very much on his agenda at some point.” But while he plots his next life, he must also negotiate the future of his Formula One career. His contract at Mercedes runs out next year and his future is uncertain. But he said: “I don’t have any plans with that just yet. I’m quite comfortable doing it myself.
“Nico Rosberg did his himself, Sebastian Vettel did his himself, there’s no reason I couldn’t. I hope to see a long future with this team.”
It may be that Hamilton can engage a Formula One expert as a consultant to help him with his contract, which will still be his bread and butter after all, and affiliate himself to a music-industry expert to set up his own record label. He also has a tight, long-standing group, including a lawyer, who often call themselves ‘Team Hamilton’, who are sure to help.
But one thing he has ruled out is going back into a management-client relationship with his father Anthony. “Nope,” he said when asked about it. “Me and my dad have a great relationship, he’s aware of where I am, and proud.
“I’ve also got a great relationship with Simon. He’s a dear friend. That will always be the case.”
So is this upheaval a distraction as he looks to win the title going into the final two races of the season, in Brazil and Abu Dhabi - or ‘Abu Double’ as it has been called because points there count double? There are still 75 points available, meaning it will go down to the final race.
“There are no issues, no distractions,” said Hamilton. “If anyone wants to get in touch with me, they go through my assistant.”
UNSTOPPABLE ON TRACK
Hamilton’s victory in the US Grand Prix showed his popularity on the other side of the Atlantic - banners of support were waved from the stands as he revelled in the cheers of the American public.
His momentum in the championship appears unstoppable, having won five consecutive races and 10 in all. That total places him ahead of Nigel Mansell as what the Americans would call ‘the winningest’ British driver of all time with 32 race victories.
Mansell congratulated Hamilton by tweet. “Nigel has been very, very supportive this year,” acknowledged Hamilton. “I see a lot of negative things said by legendary ex-drivers and I always think to myself, ‘Why would you not want to support me? We’re from the same place’.”
“When I’m gone and I come back to watch, I want to be supportive. I want to be seeing the next Brit come through and encouraging rather than kicking them in the guts. I want to be inspiring young drivers rather than talking crap.”
Daily Mail