Large cages are appearing around Singapore’s Central Business District. Red T-shirts and caps are increasingly being seen in town. Motorists are revving more loudly and shooting off more quickly. It must be mid-September and the time of the season for the Singapore Grand Prix!
This year, 2008 and 2014 Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s vehicle will be sporting quite a bit more blue as Epson has become the latest partner of Team Mercedes AMG PETRONAS. This seemingly unlikely coupling makes a lot more sense when one considers that Epson will be providing sport and health sensing equipment in addition to its more familiar plethora of printers and projectors.
To commemorate this collaboration, the media (including yours truly) was treated to a closed-door session with Lewis Hamilton himself, and given the opportunity to grill the F1 star on anything ranging from technically tedious to trivial trivia.
Generally calm and collected, Hamilton was not lengthy or exuberant in his replies to queries from the ground. He expressed his gratitude at having supportive parents and people around him who greatly contributed to the rise in his career. Having achieved a preeminent position in his career, he also spoke about being a role model and how he was humbled by children who have come up to him to say that they aspire to be exactly like him.
When queried about his fashion muse, Hamilton picked Kanye West for his edgy tastes in clothing which he admires. When it comes to cars, he prefers simple mechanical machines with a minimal amount of technology; he likes a down-to-earth stick shift with some power behind the throttle. Off season, he begins to resemble us mere mortals and likes to take the time to relax and take a break from his usual hectic schedule.
Apparently, Hamilton is also a fan of the night race and said the best thing about it is the opportunity to catch the beautiful night-time cityscape and to see all the twinkling lights swirling around. I guess, with the 40 over points lead he has, he can afford to take his eyes off the wheel now and then. However, the Singapore Grand Prix is not without its challenges but complaints of the weather, jet lag and packed schedule would hardly be out of place in any business traveller’s litany of grouses. This is a working trip for Hamilton after all.
To close off the forum, Amin Noorzilan, Singapore’s young hope for an F1 contestant, got the opportunity to share the stage with Hamilton and have a chat with the racing superstar. Hamilton shared stories of his most trying times and imparted advice as well as earnest words of encouragement. Only 17 years old and already an imminent champion at the ongoing X30 Challenge which is a prestigious international race held in over 15 countries annually, Amin harks from the same humble but promising beginnings as Hamilton.
Grinning from ear to ear, Amin was unabashedly pleased to meet his idol, and brimming with renewed motivation from the encounter.
