George Russell jokes with Hamilton over Kim Kardashian rumours
Lewis Hamilton’s priority in Bahrain this week was clear: mileage, data and understanding Ferrari’s new 2026 car.
The seven-time world champion completed a steady opening day at Formula 1’s final pre-season test, finishing seventh on the timesheets as Ferrari logged 114 laps across its two entries. With sweeping regulation changes reshaping car design this season including revised aerodynamics and power unit adjustments reliability and correlation work have taken precedence over outright pace in the desert heat.
For Hamilton, the test carries extra weight. After more than a decade at Mercedes, he is preparing for his first full campaign in red and driving a machine he helped shape in the simulator.
That matters.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Hamilton struck an upbeat but measured tone.
“With the car, I think we've started off quite well so far,” he said. “It's an exciting time with the new generation of cars, because it's all brand new, and we're all trying to figure it out on the go.
“Last year we were locked into a car that, ultimately, I inherited.
“This is a car that I've been able to be a part of developing on the simulator, and so a bit of my DNA is within. I'm more connected to this one, for sure.”
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Ferrari ranked sixth overall for total laps completed on day one, suggesting a solid foundation even if headline lap times offered limited insight at this early stage.
Paddock chatter resurfaces
Away from the garages, attention briefly shifted to speculation about Hamilton’s private life.
Earlier this month, The Sun reported that Hamilton had spent time with American media personality Kim Kardashian in Oxfordshire, describing the visit as a romantic getaway. Neither Hamilton nor Kardashian has confirmed the report.
According to Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz, a journalist asked Hamilton during media duties in Bahrain whether the rumours were accurate. The 41-year-old declined to comment, replying: “It's my private life, I'm not talking about that.”
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The topic surfaced again this time more light-heartedly during the traditional pre-season group photoshoot. As drivers assembled ahead of the final test session, former Mercedes teammate George Russell turned toward Hamilton with a grin.
“All loved up or... what's the latest?” Russell asked.
Hamilton smiled but offered no answer. Russell laughed and briefly placed a hand on his shoulder, while nearby drivers Isack Hadjar and Alex Albon stayed out of the exchange. A short clip of the moment later made the rounds online.
In the bigger picture, though, Bahrain is about groundwork. Three days of testing rarely tell the full competitive story, but for Hamilton and Ferrari, the early signs suggest a platform they can build on as a new era begins.
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Sources: The Sun, Sky Sports
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