Racing in the desert? That’s sweater weather.

IMAGE: GETTY

Written by Finlay Mead

Lewis Hamilton may not have won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but he certainly won the style game at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion wore two outfits over the weekend – a colourful ensemble followed by an all-black number – that were both red-hot, in more ways than one…

Hamilton’s love for great style has never been limited to the racetrack, with the driving star regularly papped wearing bold, often boundary-pushing outfits including, but not limited to, brightly coloured jumpsuits, “geezercore” tracksuits, and even a daring red carpet looks like his 2021 Met Gala outfit styled by legend Law Roach.

And it doesn’t end with the clothes: Hamilton’s a great one for accessories, often spotted wearing high-end watches in his role as brand ambassador for IWC Schaffhausen, as well as for hairstyles, with his variously unkempt and hyper-stylised hair-dos capturing imaginations around the world.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the racing legend was spotted wearing two very different – and very climactically ill-suited – outfits this weekend for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, hosted at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Fleecy long-sleeve in the relentless Saudi sun? Yes Please! Image: Getty

On March 17th, Hamilton strode into the paddock before practice wearing a colourful ensemble that centred around a long-sleeved trucker jacket straight from the Dior x ERL 2023 collaboration. Styled with red shades, oversized mauve trousers, and signature bling, this was a fantastic look to kick off the weekend but must have been absolutely sweltering in the thirty-degree Middle Eastern heat.

The following day, March 18th, saw Hamilton enter the paddock for final practice wearing a look that, in many respects, could not have been more different from the previous day. The all-black Rick Owens ensemble featured pieces from the label’s Spring/Summer 2023 and Fall/Winter 2023 collections.

Styled by Eric J. McNeal, the look included a sleeveless knitted V-neck, baggy cargo pants, chunky Beatle boots, a pair of Prada shades, a Hatton Labs bracelet, and an IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Edition “Mojave Desert” watch, which reportedly costs $40,000 USD.

Hamilton’s latest look at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia was inspired by Rick Owens’ avant-apocalyptic gear. Known for his dark and cerebral aesthetics, Owens’ collections often include pieces like thigh-high boots, form-fitting bodysuits, and lots of leather. For Hamilton’s sake and for ours, we’re glad he didn’t take that particular path.

At least when the apocalypse comes, Hamilton knows he’ll look his best. Image: Getty

However, his futuristic look did include the kind of excessively oversized pockets and massive boots that you’d expect from a post-apocalyptic look and – though markedly different – his looks are a continued testament to his desire for self-expression and boundary-pushing fashion.

Earlier in the season, Hamilton was also spotted wearing red-hot looks in Bahrain. The champion rocked a bright red co-ord from the Zegna x The Elder Statesman collab, featuring a button-down shirt and wide-leg trousers, topping off the look with matching red sunglasses and trainers. Fans even wondered if he was secretly rooting for Ferrari with his all-red ensemble…

Red Hot – Hamilton in Bahrain. Image: Getty

But that wasn’t the end of Hamilton’s style game. He kept things cool in the Middle East with a black Miu Miu buttoned tank top worn as a waistcoat, paired with dark acid wash jeans and chunky black biker boots. He wasn’t afraid to pile on the accessories, with layers of jewellery, a watch, and sunglasses. Despite the blazing heat, Hamilton proved that he could still bring the heat with his fashion choices.

Looks like this are no doubt an integral part of why Lewis Hamilton continues to amass hordes of fans, even those who may not be “traditional” F1 fans. This is particularly true of the younger Gen Z-ers who seem to be storming the sport in response to Netflix’s ongoing Drive To Survive series.

Miu Miu and biker boots on Hamilton in Bahrain. Image: Getty

As such, we’re all for taking fashion risks and pushing out the style boat. We just hope Lewis and his team had a plentiful supply of deo on-hand for the big Saudi weekend – it’d be a terrible shame to see that brand-new Dior trucker mired with irreversible sweat patches…