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Lewis Hamilton’s Security Steps In After Fan Incident at Bahrain GP
A tense moment unfolded at the Bahrain Grand Prix when a fan’s enthusiasm turned into a potential safety risk for Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion, now with Ferrari, was cruising through the paddock on his scooter when an overly eager fan began chasing him, reportedly attempting to grab a selfie.
Hamilton, 40, appeared unbothered by the incident as he continued riding, seemingly unaware of the approaching fan who came dangerously close to knocking him over. Thankfully, his security team was quick to react. One of his guards stepped in immediately, tackling the fan before any harm could come to Hamilton.
Fernando Alonso, who was following behind Hamilton on his own scooter, witnessed the sudden scuffle. Like Hamilton, Alonso didn’t seem alarmed, continuing on without interruption. The brief but intense encounter highlighted the growing fervor surrounding Hamilton, especially since his high-profile move to Ferrari.
Since announcing his switch from Mercedes to the iconic Italian team, Hamilton’s popularity has reached new heights. The buzz began early in the year when crowds gathered in the cold winter months at Fiorano just to catch a glimpse of Hamilton taking his first laps in Ferrari red. His mere presence has brought a massive wave of attention and commercial benefit to the team.
Hamilton’s debut post on social media in Ferrari gear, taken outside the home of Enzo Ferrari, quickly became one of the most-liked F1 images on Instagram, underscoring his enormous influence. Marketing analysts have since revealed the financial impact of his presence. According to data from Sponsorlytix, Hamilton’s initial post in the Ferrari race suit generated $62,100 in value for title sponsor Hewlett-Packard (HP) alone. Additionally, Ferrari itself gained an estimated $50,000 in exposure from the same post. Other brands featured in the photo—including Shell, IBM, VGW, Ceva, and PUMA—each reportedly earned over $40,000 in estimated value.
While the commercial side of Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari has been a massive success, his on-track performance has been more subdued. The start of his debut season with the Scuderia hasn’t gone entirely to plan, as Hamilton works to adapt to a new car, team dynamics, and operational systems. So far, he has struggled to match the pace of his teammate, Charles Leclerc.
Interestingly, the driver Hamilton replaced at Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, is also experiencing growing pains following his switch to Williams. In his early outings with the team, Sainz has found it difficult to consistently outperform his new teammate, Alex Albon. The challenges faced by both Hamilton and Sainz reflect a common theme in Formula 1—transitioning to a new team often comes with a steep learning curve, even for seasoned drivers.
Despite the early hiccups, Hamilton remains one of the sport’s most powerful figures, both on and off the track. His star continues to shine brightly, and as the season progresses, fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see when the legendary driver finds his stride in Ferrari red.
