Kardashian Romance and New Ferrari Fuel Hopes for Hamilton’s Formula 1 Season

Rumors linking racing legend Lewis Hamilton with reality television icon Kim Kardashian have pushed the former Formula 1 champion back into the cultural spotlight. Reactions to their recent sightings together have gone from raised eyebrows to global headlines.But with the 2026 Formula 1 season opener fast approaching, can a budding romance with one of the world’s most recognizable celebrities and a radically designed race car revive a career that faces a genuine crossroads?That’s what Mr. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, is hoping.The Australian Grand Prix on March 7 provides his first chance to erase the lingering frustration of an underwhelming maiden campaign with Ferrari last year. “I think we’re working better together than ever before,” Mr. Hamilton told reporters recently. “So, I’m excited for that moving forward.”After leaving Mercedes, where he won six of his seven world driving titles, the Englishman endured a season without a single Grand Prix podium last year, something once unthinkable for a driver with his resume.Enter Ms. Kardashian offering a different kind of motivation. The 45-year-old businesswoman and Mr. Hamilton, 41, have reportedly known each other for years, frequently crossing paths at fashion and film premieres and charity events. Rumors of a romance surfaced when the two were spotted at Super Bowl LX, behaving more than platonically.Keeping Up with the Kardashians hasn’t always worked out for athletes. Ms. Kardashian’s extensive dating resume includes Kris Humphries of the NBA; Reggie Bush, Miles Austin and Odell Beckham Jr. of the NFL; and soccer superstar Cristian Ronaldo. Her marriages and relationships with Nick Lachey, Nick Cannon, Ray J, Pete Davidson and Kanye West have long fueled tabloid fascination, sometimes blurring the lines between romance and showmance.Nonetheless, an “insider” told People Magazine that Ms. Kardashian is “excited” about the budding romance, saying Mr. Hamilton is the “first guy she’s really into in a long time.”Whether calculated or coincidental, Mr. Hamilton said he’s physically and mentally prepared for the upcoming season that includes the Miami Grand Prix on May 3; the United States Grand Prix at Austin on Oct. 25; and the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Nov. 21. “I’m personally in the best place I’ve been in a long time,” he said.Lewis Hamilton talks to reporters during day one of F1 Testing at Bahrain on February 18, 2026. Joe Portlock/Getty ImagesThe optimism stands in sharp contrast to his tone at the end of 2025 when Ferrari essentially gave up mid-season and began preparing for the revamped 2026 regulations requiring the most extensive technical overhaul in F1 history. The new regulations include changes to engine design, chassis, aerodynamics, tires and sustainable fuels.Mr. Hamilton, who was actively involved in designing Ferrari’s new car, is happy with preseason testing underway in Bahrain, where Ferrari appears competitive alongside Mercedes, Red Bull and the defending Constructors champion, McLaren.“I think we started off quite well so far,” Mr. Hamilton said at Bahrain. “It’s an exciting time with this new generation of cars. It’s all brand new. We’re trying to figure it out on the go. Last year we were locked in a car that ultimately, I inherited. This is a car that I’ve been able to be a part of developing on the simulator for the last 10 months, so a bit of my DNA is within it. I’m more connected to this one for sure.”Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is a critic of the new regulations. The four-time world champion doesn’t like how the F1 power unit is now more reliant on electrical energy, forcing drivers to downshift on straights to preserve energy similar to Formula E.“I don’t want us to be close to Formula E,” Mr. Verstappen said.McLaren’s Lando Norris, who captured his first drivers championship last year, said the new cars are “a lot of fun.”Still, Mr. Hamilton remains unsure how the new rules will impact the actual racing. “I don’t know if it’s going to be better,” he said.Mr. Hamilton is one of four champion drivers who will compete on the same grid this year, one short of the all-time record. Fernando Alonso joins Messrs. Norris and Hamilton, as well as Mr. Verstappen, whose string of four consecutive titles ended last year.The length of Mr. Hamilton’s contract has not been made public, but indications are he has no plans to move on anytime soon. “My belief in the team is still absolutely the same,” he said. “I understand the faith in this team and what they’re capable of and that’s why I joined the team.“I knew it wasn’t going to be an overnight thing where we’d have success immediately,” he added. “That’s why I signed a longer deal because it was more of a process and I feel like we’ve also learned a huge amount from last year as a team.”For Mr. Hamilton, the stakes are personal and professional. A high-profile romance can raise his global profile and set him up for life after racing. But another winless season will intensify questions about whether even greatness has an expiration date.

Kardashian Romance and New Ferrari Fuel Hopes for Hamilton’s Formula 1 Season

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