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Lewis Hamilton involved in brutally awkward moment with FIA president following Bahrain Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton involved in brutally awkward moment with FIA president following Bahrain Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton's awkward moment with the FIA president was captured on camera after the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Lewis Hamilton brutally ignored the FIA president at the Bahrain Grand Prix and it was caught on camera.

In the fourth race of the season, Hamilton finished fifth at the Bahrain International Circuit - just behind his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc - and won the Driver of the Day vote.

Oscar Piastri became the first driver to win two races this season and George Russell's second-placed finish stopped McLaren from securing the one-two, with Lando Norris having to settle for the final spot on the podium.

FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a former rally driver with Toyota and Ford, was in attendance and was looking to greet Hamilton after the race was wrapped up.

Stood near the weigh-in area, Ben Sulayem had his arms outstretched waiting for a hug off the seven-time champion.

However Hamilton wasn't in the mood and merely gave the 63-year-old a quick pat before he walked past.

Videos of the awkward exchange were shared online and quickly went viral.


Why did Lewis Hamilton ignore FIA's president?

The exact reason for Hamilton not quite feeling the embrace but it appears he doesn't have the best relationship with Ben Sulayem and has never been afraid to discuss his lack of support for the Emirati, who was appointed in 2021.

Last year prior to the Australian Grand Prix, when asked in a press conference if Ben Sulayem still had his support, Hamilton replied: "He never has."

Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Image: Getty
Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Image: Getty

Hamilton proceeded to blast the FIA and F1 for a lack of accountability and praise Susie Wolff, wife to his former Mercedes boss Toto and the head of all-female racing series F1 Academy, after she filed a criminal complaint against the governing body.

It came after an investigation over a potential conflict of interest.

Hamilton was also furious after Ben Sulayem compared drivers using industrial language to that used in 'rap music' - which he deemed to be offensive and bringing a racial element with the words used.

Hamilton hit back, commenting: "Saying 'rappers' is very stereotypical. If you think about it, most rappers are black.

"So when it says: 'We are not like them', those are the wrong choice of words. There is a racial element there."

Featured Image Credit: Sky Sports

Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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