Hamilton likens Red Bull off-track drama to ‘Kardashian show’ 

Red Bull's double title-winning campaign was overshadowed by their breach of the 2021 F1 cost cap - which saw the team hit with a $7m fine and a 10 per cent reduction in their wind tunnel time over the next 12 months - and a team orders row that erupted after Max Verstappen refused to give sixth place back to teammate Sergio Perez in Brazil. 

Speaking in an interview with C4 ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton was asked for his thoughts on some of the off-track sagas involving Red Bull that dominated the headlines. 

“I mean it feels like a bit of a Kardashian show happening here,” the seven-time world champion responded. 

“It’s pretty hilarious, some of the stuff that I’ve heard over the past few days has been so entertaining."

Hamilton appeared to allude to a now-deleted social media post from Verstappen’s mother - which accused Perez of “cheating on his wife” - when he was asked to provide a specific example. 

“I can’t say… Somebody’s mother posting something,” Hamilton said. 

“Just some pretty interesting stuff going on. I’m sure it’ll all be on Netflix - it’s going to be great.”

Hamilton added: “We’ve got to continue to strive for transparency and continuously work to make sure that we stay strong to the core values of what the sport is and make sure we don’t veer off from those things. 

“But what a mess in that space. It’s been very interesting to see it unfold over the last 12 months.”

‘I couldn’t say I wanted to be here’ 

Red Bull’s breach of the cost cap brought the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in which Hamilton was denied a record-breaking eighth world title following a mishandled Safety Car period, back into the spotlight. 

Asked how he felt returning to the scene of his heartbreaking title loss almost 12 months earlier, Hamilton replied: “It didn’t feel great walking in this morning. 

“I couldn’t say that I necessarily wanted to be here, but if I’m really honest, since I’ve been in my room, I’ve been getting my head down into preparation.

“We get caught up in all these different things we are experiencing and forgetting to be living in gratitude. That’s something we really need to remember, because there are so many people that are having way, way worse times, so many people that are struggling. 

“It could be so, so much worse and it’s always just being grateful for a new day, a new chance to be better, a new chance to challenge yourself and shape the future. 

“I try to take any negative feeling I have, brush it aside and move forward.”

And Hamilton said he was “definitely not expecting” the outpouring of support he received in the wake of the 2021 title showdown. 

“The general love that I have experienced through the year, which I think is what has got me through the year, if I’m really honest – with the challenge of coming back in, wanting to fight back but not being able to fight back.

“I know some people in life struggle to accept love, and I’ve definitely been someone that’s been like that for a long, long time. So this year was one that I was able to open up a little bit more on a little bit and that’s really been a beautiful experience. So I’m really grateful for that."