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Chapter Text

Photo taken by Daniel Ricciardo
Sunday, March 29th, 2015 at 5:48 pm

Max Verstappen is lying on the couch of Lewis Hamilton’s driver room, covered in a blanket, awake but clearly just so as he looks slightly up at the Mercedes driver. Lewis is crouching next to the couch, on level with the young Dutchman’s shoulders, and has his hands on the blanket as he talks to Max with a soft smile painted on his face.

[ OCCASION: Max finds some comfort with Lewis after his P7 finish in his second race in Malaysia ]

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Video taken by Angela Cullen
Monday, October 26th, 2015 at 3:35 am

The video starts shakily, briefly showing a floor and a wall before settling onto a bed frame with two people cuddled on top of it in the darkness of the room. Lewis Hamilton is lying on the side and wrapped in his arms is Max Verstappen. The young Dutchman has his face buried in Lewis’ chest as they both sleep comfortably together. A female voice, belonging to Angela Cullen behind the camera, whispers in the dark “Can you believe this idiot?”. She sighs, “Disappearing from the team party without a word just to do what? Go back to the hotel and cuddle with his kid! Unbelievable!”. Despite the words, though, her tone is affectionate. “And you still insist that ‘Max is just Max, not my kid’. Honestly Lewis, you’re a lost cause!”. The video finally cuts off after Angela chuckles, “Great blackmail material!” are the last words to be heard.

[ OCCASION: Lewis celebrates with Max after winning his third WDC in the US ]

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Photo taken by Daniel Ricciardo
Sunday, May 15th, 2016 at 10:26 pm

Lewis Hamilton is wrapping an arm around Max Verstappen as they sit in a bar’s booth, tucking him close to his side. Max is holding a bottle of champagne in the air, while the older man is simply resting a glass of what looks like tequila on his thigh. The Dutchman is wearing a blinding smile as he looks somewhere off camera, while Lewis is looking up at him. The Mercedes driver appears tired, his eyes sad and his hair disheveled, but he has still found the strength to smile proudly at the younger man under his arm.

[ OCCASION: Max celebrates with Lewis after getting his first Grand Prix win in Spain ]

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Photo taken by Angela Cullen
Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 1:49 am

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are sitting on the couch of the Brit’s hotel room, close to each other with their shoulders touching. Max has an arm around Lewis’ back while the Brit has his own over the younger man’s shoulders, his hand cupping the back of Max’s neck. Their free hands are holding a beer each, clinking them as they smile and laugh together.

[ OCCASION: Lewis celebrates with Max after winning his fourth WDC in Mexico ]

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Photo taken by Pierre Gasly
Sunday, August 26th, 2018 at 2:53 pm

Lewis Hamilton is sitting on the ground still in his race overalls, with his back against the wall of the alley and Charles Leclerc sitting in his lap. The Monegasque, who still hasn’t changed out of his fireproofs either, is hugging Lewis with both arms and legs, holding tight like an octopus. Charles looks asleep, with his face hidden in the crook of the older man’s neck, as the Mercedes driver runs a hand through the young boy’s hair.

[ OCCASION: Charles finds some comfort with Lewis after his crash in Belgium ]

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Selfie taken by Charles Leclerc
Monday, October 29th, 2018 at 3:12 am

The selfie is taken in the semi-darkness of the night, from a high up angle and with not much visibility. What can be seen clearly in the phone light is Charles Leclerc, propped up in the bed, winking and making the peace sign at the camera. Behind him, in the semi-darkness, Lewis Hamilton can be seen peacefully sleeping with Max Verstappen tucked into his other side, mouth open in a snore.

[ OCCASION: Charles and Max staying to sleep in Lewis’s hotel room after celebrating with him his fifth WDC in Mexico ]

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Photo taken by Max Verstappen
Monday, April 1st, 2019 at 8:09 am

The photo is taken from the side of the bed, soft morning light coming from the window behind, with the pillows slightly propped up against the backboard as Lewis Hamilton leans back on them. Charles Leclerc is lying on top of him, chest to chest, with his head resting sideways above the older driver’s heart as Lewis holds him softly, one arm around the back and the other hand in the Monegasque’s hair. Charles is hugging back, the only visible arm curling under the Mercedes driver’s own arm to grip onto the back of the shoulder. The Ferrari driver has his eyes closed and a somewhat serene smile on his face as the Brit whispers in his hair.

[ OCCASION: Charles seeks comfort with Lewis after disappointing race in Bahrain ]

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Photo taken by Sebastian Vettel
Saturday, August 31st, 2019 at 10:24 pm

All the drivers are packed in the bed of Lewis Hamilton’s hotel room, even though it’s hard to see much because of the late hour of the night and the lack of lights on. Lewis is sitting up with his back against the backboard and his phone in hand, lighting up his face and effectively providing the only source of light of the photo. Thanks to it, the other three drivers are visible as well and they appear asleep. Charles Leclerc is to the left side of the Brit, his head resting on the older man’s hip and his arms cradled to his chest, mouth open in a snore. Pierre Gasly is on the opposite side, head on the pillow and arms wrapped around the older driver’s midsection, with Esteban Ocon wrapped around him and drooling on his fellow Frenchman’s shoulder. The Mercedes driver is looking down at his phone but his other hand is resting subconsciously in Pierre’s hair.

[ OCCASION: Charles, Pierre, and Esteban seek comfort with Lewis after learning of Anthoine’s death following his crash in Belgium ]

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Video taken by Pierre Gasly
Sunday, September 1st, 2019 at 5:15 pm

The video starts with Charles Leclerc skipping through the back alleys of the paddock only to duck rapidly in the back entrance of the Mercedes motorhome. He then proceeds to confidently stride through the hallways as if he owned the place, heavy breaths coming from the person behind the camera as they struggle to keep up. The young man finally stops in front of a closed door, a metal plaque with “Hamilton” engraved on it on display for the few seconds it takes Charles to throw the door open. The Monegasque runs inside without waisting any more time, startling Lewis Hamilton inside who drops the team shirt he was putting on to the floor. The Ferrari driver, completely uncaring of the half-naked state of the older driver, bodily-throws himself at Lewis and jumps in his arms. As Charles wraps all four of his limbs around the Brit, the older man just picks him up effortlessly with a big smile, all surprise forgotten as he hugs the boy tight. When the younger man finally returns his feet to the ground, half a minute later, Lewis doesn’t let him go just yet. Putting both his hands solidly on the sides of Charles’ face, the more experienced driver leans his forehead against the younger man and whispers to him with a soft smile. The video cuts as the Monegasque closes his eyes and nods with a sad smile, a few tears running down his cheeks as he almost collapses in Lewis’ arms again.

…

Photo taken by Esteban Ocon
Sunday, September 1st, 2019 at 5:19 pm

The two drivers are in the middle of Lewis Hamilton’s driver room, Charles Leclerc hugging the older man tight. Lewis is shirtless but Charles doesn’t seem to care as he wraps his arms around the older’s neck and his legs around his hips, effectively clinging onto the Mercedes driver like a koala would. The Monegasque’s face is hidden in the crook of the Brit’s neck, as the older man hugs him back just as tightly.

[ OCCASION: Charles celebrates with Lewis after getting his first Grand Prix win in Belgium ]

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Video taken by Pierre Gasly
Wednesday, August 19th, 2020 at 3:01 pm

The video start with a clear view of a giggling Esteban Ocon, who is holding an RC car in one hand and the controller wedged against his side under the same arm. He then brings a silencing finger to his lips before tiptoeing over the corner of the wall and peaking over it. The camera does the same thing, showing Lewis Hamilton sitting on the couch in the middle of the living room while busing away on his phone. Esteban finally puts down the little car and, with a giggle, starts it. Startled by the noise, Lewis almost jumps off the couch before turning to glare at the Frenchman. “Esteban!”, he yells then, “What did I tell you about racing RC on my marble floors! Turn it off!”. Esteban laughs again, making the little car go around the couch a couple more times before having it disappear behind the corner with a cheeky “Sorry!”. The video cuts when the younger driver, still laughing together with the person behind the camera, picks up the RC car.

[ OCCASION: Esteban pranks Lewis in his Monaco apartment during the week break in between the race in Spain and the one in Belgium ]

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Photo taken by Charles Leclerc
Wednesday, August 26th, 2020 at 6:40 pm

Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly are standing behind a table that is covered by different types of flowers. Lewis is holding a few of them in his hands, starting to put them in the shape of a bouquet, while Pierre is pointing at another, in the process of deciding which of the other flowers to add to the final composition.

[ OCCASION: Pierre asks Lewis for help to prepare the flowers to pay respect to Anthoine in Belgium ]

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Photo taken by Charles Leclerc
Sunday, September 6th, 2020 at 6:11 pm

Lewis Hamilton is slouched on the couch and has an arm around Pierre Gasly’s neck, literally holding onto him, while the younger is heavily leaning against him. Both of them are not as much as sitting on the couch but it looks more like they had fallen on it in a bound of enthusiasm. Neither seem to care however, as both are still laughing drunkly.

[ OCCASION: Pierre celebrates with Lewis after getting his first Grand Prix win in Italy ]

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Photo taken by Charles Leclerc
Sunday, September 13th, 2020 at 4:58 pm

The two drivers are cuddled on the couch of Lewis Hamilton’s hotel room, Max Verstappen plastered close to his side. Both have changed out of their team gear and the Dutchman is even wearing a very colourful hoodie, hood pulled up and over his head, that he clearly stole from the older driver. Max is hugging Lewis’ midsection, head buried in his shoulder, as the Mercedes driver runs a hand over the younger man’s head.

[ OCCASION: Max seeks comfort with Lewis after his DNF in Tuscany ]

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Video taken by Sebastian Vettel
Sunday, November 15th, 2020 at 7:36 pm

The video starts in a hotel hallway, Charles Leclerc’s back being the only thing in clear view. The young man then stops in front of room number 445 and, after balancing the two glass bottles in one arm, proceeds to knock. Valtteri Bottas is the man that opens the door, a bewildered look on his face as Charles just walks around him and into the room. The camera follows and the Finn flashes his eyes to the man behind it, as he asks “How many more are there?”. Sebastian Vettel’s voice answers him with a chuckle and a “This one is the last, I promise!”. The video then takes in the main part of the room and the five drivers hanging around in it. Pierre Gasly is the first to speak, getting up from his place on the couch under the window, “Où diable étais-tu? Ça fait une demi-heure qu'on attend!”. Max Verstappen rolls his eyes from where he is leaning on the mini-fridge in the corner, RedBull can in hand, “Will you stop speaking fucking French? Like, seriously mate!”. Esteban Ocon, standing by Lewis Hamilton’s side and with a hand on the man’s shoulder, waves his free hand towards the Dutchman, silencing him but gaining a glare. The Monegasque waves the two bottles in the air, drawing everybody’s attention again, “I know you’ve brought champagne but I thought we might need something different! So! Tequila!”. Lewis drags a hand over his face as the room falls silent, as if waiting for his verdict. “Flights are all late tomorrow evening, I checked.” adds Charles, helpfully. And the Brit relents, “There’s glasses in the cabinet behind Max.” All the young drivers cheer together as they scrap to find what they need. Tequila-filled glasses then make their way around to the people in the room, including Seb behind the camera. Max is the first to raise his glass, from his place firmly at the older driver’s side. “To the greatest driver of all time!” he proclaims loudly, the room answering immediately “To Lewis!” before they all drown their drinks. The video zooms in to Lewis’ face as he accepts a hug from the young RedBull driver, his eyes shining with unshed tears as he hides his face in Max’s neck. When the video cuts, when the Mercedes driver has retreated about half a minute later, a few tears have now escaped down his cheeks to join his shaky but blinding smile.

[ OCCASION: The Grid Kids celebrate with Lewis his seventh WDC title in Turkey ]

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Photo taken by Sebastian Vettel
Sunday, November 15th, 2020 at 9:03 pm

The luxurious hotel room is captured from the entrance, the massive bed placed on the left side and part of the couch is visible up in front, under a window. The focus is on the bed, where most of the drivers are sitting. Lewis Hamilton is leaning against the backboard, with Max Verstappen cuddled close to his left side. Pierre Gasly has claimed the other side of the world champion, leaning easily against his shoulder as Lewis just lazily rests both his arms over the shoulders of the younger drivers next to him. Charles Leclerc is sitting basically in Max’s lap and has his torso twisted back to gesticulate wildly at the Mercedes driver, who is spotting a slightly perplexed but completely relaxed smile on his face. Esteban Ocon is the last of the drivers on the bed, sitting in the middle of it opposite to the Brit, with his head thrown back in laughter. Pierre, on the other hand, wears a bewildered expression as he looks at Charles while the Dutchman is rolling his eyes at the Monegasque’s antics. Lastly, on the couch and partially cut out of the picture, sits Valtteri Bottas sipping a beer as he watches the group of drivers on the bed with mild horror.

[ OCCASION: The Grid Kids hang out with Lewis to celebrate him winning his seventh WDC title in Turkey ]

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Photo taken by Angela Cullen
Sunday, August 1st, 2021 at 5:58 pm

The two drivers are in their team gear, having just stepped away from the media pen, and hiding away behind some sponsor panels. Lewis Hamilton is hugging George Russell who, despite the height difference between the two of them, is doing his best to disappear in the older Brit’s body as he hides his face in the crook of Lewis’s neck.

[ OCCASION: George finds comfort with Lewis after breaking down as a result of gaining his first points for Williams in Hungary ]

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Photo taken by Charles Leclerc
Sunday, August 1st, 2021 at 7:41 pm

The two drivers are standing in the middle of Lewis Hamilton’s driver room, Esteban Ocon hugging the Mercedes driver from behind, taking advantage of his superior height, with both arms around the older man’s neck. Esteban has his head leaned close to Lewis’, laughing with all teeth, while the older driver is smiling proudly back at him.

[ OCCASION: Esteban celebrates with Lewis after getting his first Grand Prix win in Hungary ]

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Selfie taken by Charles Leclerc
Sunday, August 1st, 2021 at 8:12 pm

The photo is taken from a low angle, with Charles Leclerc close-up and kneeling on the floor in front of the driver room’s couch. Behind him, in the middle of the couch, sits a champagne-drenched Esteban Ocon with a blinding smile. Max Verstappen is to his left, leaning lightly against the Frenchman’s shoulder and lifting an empty champagne bottle in front of himself. Pierre Gasly, who is on the opposite side to the right, has none of Max’s carefulness and is clinging to his fellow countryman’s arm as he empties his champagne bottle on the taller man’s head, laughing. George Russell is the final driver on the couch, sitting next to the RedBull driver at a respectable distance, smiling awkwardly at the camera. Lastly, Lewis Hamilton is standing behind them all, leaning against the back of the couch with one hand on Esteban’s shoulder and one on George’s, looking down at the young William driver with a sympathetic smile.

[ OCCASION: The Grid Kids hang out together in Lewis’ driver room to celebrate Esteban’s maiden win in Hungary ]

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Photo taken by Angela Cullen
Saturday, August 28th, 2021 at 3:58 pm

The two drivers are sitting on the pit wall under the torrential rain, although Lewis Hamilton is holding an umbrella over his and Lando Norris’ heads. The younger driver is almost completely engulfed by the Mercedes-black rain jacket, hood pulled up to hide his face, and has his body tucked close under Lewis’ other arm and against his side. The Mercedes champion is hunched forward, body positioned to hide Lando from view as much as possible, and is wearing a worried frown on this features.

[ OCCASION: Lando finds comfort with Lewis during the red flag after his crash during qualifying in Belgium ]

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Photo taken by Angela Cullen
Sunday, September 5th, 2021 at 5:20 pm

Lewis Hamilton is sitting on the couch in his driver room, still in his team gear, while George Russell is laying with his head in the older Brit’s lap wearing a Tommy Hilfiger jumper that clearly belongs to the Mercedes driver. The younger man appears to be asleep and Lewis is running a soothing hand in George’s hair while lazing away on his phone.

[ OCCASION: George seeks comfort with Lewis after his DNF in The Netherlands ]

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Photo taken by Lando Norris
Sunday, September 12th, 2021 at 6:32 pm

Lewis Hamilton is sitting on the floor of the hotel room, with his back against the legs of the bed and Max Verstappen cuddled in his lap. Both their hair is wet, as if they had just come out of the shower, and they have changed into some soft clothing. Max’s clothes look a bit too short and too colorful to belong to the Dutchman, clearly stolen from the British driver. The younger boy has both arms wrapped tightly and a bit desperately around the older man’s neck, with his face buried in Lewis’ chest. The Mercedes driver has his arms round the back of Max, clutching onto him just as tightly as he hides his own face in the crook of the younger driver’s neck.

[ OCCASION: Lewis and Max seek comfort in each other after their scary crash in Italy ]

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Video taken by Charles Leclerc
Monday, December 20th, 2021 at 2:39 pm

The video starts with Lewis Hamilton crossing the living room of the apartment to go sit on the couch, a tv remote in his hand. He switches on the tv, the Disney+ icon flashing soon, before turning back towards the kitchen and loudly asking, “Which Cars movie do you wanna watch?”. The answer comes almost immediately from Max Verstappen, “The second one, duh!”, as he crosses the distance to Lewis barefoot with a RedBull can in one hand and a glass of what looks like tequila in the other. The young Dutchman then sits crosslegged next to the older man, quickly handing him the tequila as the snuggles close under the Brit’s arm. After that, in the background, Daniel Ricciardo can be heard chuckling and muttering something undefined but that sounds suspiciously like “What are you, a kid?”. Another voice follows soon, more clear, as Charles Leclerc loudly proclaims “War is over brothers!” for the benefit of the intended spectators. That finally gains the attention of the Red Bull driver who, less than pleased at the sight of the camera, raises a middle finger at the Ferrari driver. When Charles just laughs in response, Max pouts and grumbles, “Shut up and bring the food here, dickhead!”. Daniel laughs loudly again as he briefly appears on camera, to the left, on his way to the kitchen. The video cuts off just after the Mercedes driver gives a light slap on the back of the head of the newly crowned world champion and says, with an exasperated but fond voice, “Kids, behave!” while glaring warningly at the Monegasque behind the camera.

[ OCCASION: Lewis and Max reconcile after the fallout resulting from their title fight ]

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Photo taken by Angela Cullen
Sunday, June 12th, 2022 at 10:45 pm

Lewis Hamilton is lying on his back in the middle of the bed of his hotel room, with George Russell to his right and Max Verstappen parallel to him on the left. Both the younger drivers are clearly being very careful not hurt the older man even more, but at the same time can’t help wrapping themselves around both his arms, the reigning champion even going as far as to lay his head on the Brit’s shoulder. Charles Leclerc is also on the bed, wrapped around the back of the Dutch driver like an octopus. Further back in the hotel room, Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly, and Esteban Ocon are curled together on the couch. Lando is on the left, curled in a ball with his head on the headrest, while Esteban is on the opposite side, with his legs stretched behind all their bodies. Lastly, Pierre is lying basically on top of the other Frenchman, resting his head on the taller man’s knees.

[ OCCASION: The Grid Kids take care of Lewis after his back injury in Azerbaijan ]

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Video taken by Max Verstappen
Sunday, July 3rd, 2022 at 8:18 am

The video starts with Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris standing in the middle of the older Brit’s hotel room, looking at the two suitcases full of clothes open on the bed and floor. Lando then puts his hands on his hips before speaking, “So… which of these can I borrow?”. Lewis smiles at him as he moves to lean against the wall next to the closet. “Not the designer outfits in the closet…” he says then, “Anything else, though, you can help yourself with.” And that was all the invitation needed, for the next thing that happens is the young McLaren driver diving into the suitcases and pulling out clothes. There is a laugh that builds behind the camera when a pair of trousers flicks onto Lewis’ face, which gains Max Verstappen a glare before the older man’s attention is stolen again by the younger boy. Lando has pulled out an oversized white T-shirt with the Union Flag in a mock paint design on the bottom right and is stripping quickly. When he puts the shirt on, though, laughter erupts from both Lewis and Max behind the camera. The McLaren boy looks down to himself and pouts before speaking, “It’s not fair! Why is this so huge!”. The shirt is, in fact, way beyond being baggy, looking utterly enormous on the younger man. The older Brit stops giggling just long enough to get out “It’s not my fault you’re so tiny, kid!” before going back to laughing. Lando, if possible, pouts harder, “I’m not tiny! I’m as tall as you!” he exclaims which only makes Lewis and Max laugh harder. “You’re skinnier than Lewis, mate!” comes the reply from the Dutchman, before the older Brit moves off the wall. “Look, my clothes are probably not going to fit you, but…”, the older man trails off, before digging a bucket hat out of a suitcase. The young Brit smiles widely at the sight of the flag-covered hat before making grabby hands at it. The video finally ends as Lando puts the bucket hat on his head with a blinding grin while Lewis and Max’s laughs echo in the background.

[ OCCASION: Lando and Lewis share some fun ahead of the race in the UK ]

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Photo taken by Matteo Orsi
Sunday, July 3rd, 2022 at 3:32 pm

Zhou Guanyu is sitting in the hospital bed with Valtteri Bottas standing to his left, an arm wrapped around the younger’s shoulders while the other is fixing the blankets on his lap. Lewis Hamilton is shown from the side, race overalls tied around his waist, hovering to the right of the bed with his attention all on the pair in front of him as he smiles at them.

[ OCCASION: Lewis watches over Zhou after his horrible crash in the UK ]

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Photo taken by Angela Cullen
Sunday, October 9th, 2022 at 2:36 pm

The three drivers are cuddled on the couch in Lewis Hamilton’s driver room, with the older driver in the middle and the youngsters on each side of him. All three of them are wearing their wet race overalls, but none of them seem to care as they snuggle as close together as they can. Pierre Gasly is on the left, legs curled up underneath himself, as he hangs tightly onto Lewis’s neck with his arms and his head hidden into them. Charles Leclerc is curled on the other side, knees to his chest and head buried into the Mercedes driver’s chest, with his hands clutching at the older man’s fireproofs. The Brit is right in the middle, holding both of them tightly. One arm is around Charles’ shoulders and the other is cradling the back of Pierre’s head, his own head turned to whisper soothingly into the Frenchman’s ear.

[ OCCASION: Pierre and Charles seek comfort with Lewis during the red flag after scary close call with the recovery vehicle in Japan ]

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Photo taken by Lando Norris
Monday, October 10th, 2022 at 2:43 am

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are sitting side by side on the hotel bed, both of them leaning against the wooden backboard. Lewis is sitting crosslegged while the young Dutch has his legs stretched on top of the older man, his trophy awkwardly balanced on top of them both. The two drivers have their heads close, leaning on each other as Max whispers and points at the golden trophy, while the Brit grins widely at him.

[ OCCASION: Max celebrates with Lewis after winning his second WDC title in Japan ]

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Photos taken by Susie Wolff
Friday, October 28th, 2022 at 4:47 pm and at 4:48 pm

Two paired photos:

In the first, Lewis Hamilton is sitting on the couch in the middle of the Mercedes hospitality, looking down softly at Mick Schumacher who is right next to him. His face tucked close into the older driver’s shoulder while Lewis’ arms are wrapped around the young German as he whispers in his ear. Closer to the camera, on the right, the back of Sebastian Vettel’s red overalls can be seen.

In the second, Lewis Hamilton is still sitting on the couch in the same position as before but Mick Schumacher is not by his side anymore. The Haas driver is now held in a tight hug by Sebastian Vettel in the middle of the room, hiding in the crook of the older driver’s neck. Lewis is watching over them with a soft smile and thoughtful eyes.

[ OCCASION: Mick finds comfort with Lewis after getting dropped by Haas in Mexico ]

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Photo taken by Angela Cullen
Sunday, November 13th, 2022 at 5:16 pm

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are standing in the middle of George’s driver room, still dressed in their race overalls, with the younger Brit holding onto his teammate in a bone crushing hug. Lewis, on the other hand, has his hands holding onto the sides of the younger man’s face. They are leaning on each other, foreheads touching, and they are both grinning like madman, proud and overjoyed.

[ OCCASION: George celebrates with Lewis after getting his first Grand Prix win in Brazil ]

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Photo taken by Angela Cullen
Saturday, March 4th, 2023 at 6:02 pm

Mick Schumacher and George Russell are both holding a bright blue and red jacket with TH initials engraved on it while standing in the middle of what looks to be Lewis Hamilton’s driver room. Meanwhile, Lewis is sitting on the couch, leaning his head back against the wall and watching with his eyes half-closed and a smirk as the two younger drivers fight over his designer jacket.

[ OCCASION: Lewis, George, and Mick share some downtime together in Bahrain ]

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Photo taken by Pierre Gasly
Sunday, April 30th, 2023 at 6:13 pm

The photo is taken from the side, with Esteban Ocon sitting against the wall to the left, legs stretched in front of him, and Lewis Hamilton kneeling in front of him, sort of straddling him. The Frenchman has changed into his team gear already while the Mercedes driver is still in his race overalls, pooled around his waist. Esteban has his head buried in the Brit’s chest and his arms clutching desperately at the older driver’s back, as Lewis cradles his head gently and just holds him steadily.

[ OCCASION: Esteban finds comfort with Lewis after his scary close call with the photographers in the pit lane in Azerbaijan ]

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Photo taken by Susie Wolff
Sunday, July 30th, 2023 at 5:47 pm

Lewis Hamilton is sitting on the couch in the Mercedes hospitality room with Oscar Piastri tucked in close to his chest, both his arms around the youngest driver’s shoulders. Lando Norris is opposite to Lewis on the other side of Oscar, his arms wrapped around his teammate’s waist and his head rested on the back of his shoulder. Both the Brits have soft expression on their faces while looking down at the youngest man in the room.

[ OCCASION: Oscar finds comfort with Lewis and Lando after his crash in Belgium ]

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Photo taken by Lando Norris
Sunday, September 3rd, 2023 at 7:29 pm

The two drivers are on a couch, in what looks like a hotel room. Oscar Piastri is cuddled in Lewis Hamilton’s lap, with his head on the older man’s right shoulder and his hands clutching his designer jumper. Lewis has his left arm around the young Aussie’s waist and his right hand stroking his hair, while his head is bowed low and he seems to be whispering softly in Oscar’s ear.

[ OCCASION: Lewis apologises to Oscar after their contact in Italy ]

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Photo taken by Lando Norris
Sunday, September 24th, 2023 at 5:21 pm

Lewis Hamilton is holding Oscar Piastri in a side hug, both drivers still in their race overalls with the young McLaren driver drenched in champagne holding his third place trophy. Oscar seems hesitant to get the other man wet and sticky but is hugging back with his right arm around the Mercedes driver’s waist nonetheless. Lewis is directing a bright, proud grin at the young Australian who is spotting a shy but happy smile himself.

[ OCCASION: Oscar celebrates with Lewis after getting his first podium finish in Japan ]

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Selfies taken by Lewis Hamilton
Saturday, October 7th, 2023 at 9:43 pm and at 9:44 pm

Two paired selfies:

In the first, Lewis Hamilton is holding the phone at a high angle and to his right is Max Verstappen, the top of his trophy visible right in between the two men. Both drivers are wearing their respective team gear, Max’s hair still wet from the champagne, and they are both donning soft, press-style smiles.

In the second, the angle is lower as if Lewis Hamilton had started to put away the phone and snapped the picture on accident. Max Verstappen is closer this time, with his right arm around the older man’s shoulders and leaning against his side with ease while the Brit has his left arm around the waist of the RedBull driver. Max has his head thrown backwards while Lewis is leaning forward, both laughing with their eyes shut and joy wrinkles around their eyes.

[ OCCASION: Max celebrates with Lewis after winning his third WDC in Qatar ]

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Photos taken by Alex Albon
Sunday, October 8th, 2023 at 11:55 pm

Lewis Hamilton is sitting propped against the backboard of the bed in the hotel room, George Russell tucked close into his side with his head on the older man’s shoulder as they watch something on tv. Lewis has his arm wrapped around George’s shoulders while the younger Brit has his arms wrapped around his teammate’s midsection.

[ OCCASION: Lewis and George reconcile after their incident in Qatar ]

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Selfies taken by Lewis Hamilton
Sunday, October 29th, 2023 at 5:34 pm and at 7:56 pm and at 7:58 pm

Three paired selfies:

The first one is published on Lewis Hamilton’s Instagram profile, the one he took during the Mexico Grand Prix post-race press conference with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc next to him. All of them are in their team overalls and are spotting their soft, media smiles.

The second is taken in a hotel room and the three drivers have changed out of their team gears, now wearing some casual streetwear, but they are still sitting in the same order they were before. The photo has an unusually low angle and this, paired with the fact that none of the men are looking at the camera, suggests that it was snapped by mistake. Lewis Hamilton is turned back to look at the two younger drivers as they bicker, with a huge smile on his face. Max Verstappen is looking at Charles Leclerc with an annoyed pout as the Monegasque is positioning the RedBull driver’s arm on the back of the couch with a laugh.

The third selfie is a replica of the first, bare the room and the clothes, with even their poses similar, clearly on purpose, but there are two big differences. The first is the fact there is no space in between the drivers, Max Verstappen leaning shoulder to shoulder with Lewis Hamilton and keeping his left elbow against Charles Leclerc’s own shoulder. The second is that their smiles are much more open and genuine, teeth on display and eyes crinkling, showing the difference between public and private.

[ OCCASION: Lewis, Max, and Charles share a podium together in Mexico ]

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Photos taken by Peter Bonnington
Sunday, November 5th, 2023 at 4:03 pm and 4:04 pm

Two paired photos:

In the first, Lewis Hamilton is sitting on the floor of his driver room, still dressed in his race suit, with his knees propped up and his arms placed limply on top of them. His head is slightly lifted to look up at Mick Schumacher who is leaning down towards him, placing a comforting hand on his elbow to get his attention.

In the second, Lewis is standing in the middle of the room and is completely engulfed in a hug by Mick. The younger driver is holding him tight, happy to provide comfort for once, while the Brit is leaning with almost his whole weight against Mick and tucking his head in the crook of his neck.

[ OCCASION: Mick offers comfort to Lewis after the disappointing race in Brazil ]

Chapter Text

Photos taken by Max Verstappen
Sunday, November 19th, 2023 at 2:44 am

Lewis Hamilton is sitting propped against the backboard of the bed and is resting his head against the wall behind him as he keeps an eye on Lando Norris. The younger Brit is sitting literally in Lewis’ lap, slightly sideways so that he can rest his head against the Mercedes driver’s shoulder, and is munching away at a plate of pancakes covered in sirup with a huge smile on his face.

[ OCCASION: Lando seeks comfort with Lewis after his crash in Las Vegas ]

Chapter Text

Selfie taken by Max Verstappen
Sunday, November 19th, 2023 at 3:56 am

A drunk and grinning Max Verstappen is holding the camera above himself, cutting his chin out of frame, with Charles Leclerc plastered against his right side equally as drunk and grinning with some chocolate smeared on his cheek as he makes a victory sign. Behind them, a cluster of drivers is scattered across the floor of the hotel room in between discarded plastic plates and empty beer bottles. Lewis Hamilton is in the centre of the picture, sitting crosslegged with his back against the bed, with Oscar Piastri sitting to his left and leaning his head on the older man’s shoulder as he sleepily watches his teammate with half-closed eyes. Lando Norris is on the other side of Lewis, holding an half-empty plate of pancakes, and talking animately at the Mercedes driver who is tiredly showing him the time on the phone that reads 3:56am. Next to the McLaren driver sit George Russell and Alex Albon, shoulder to shoulder and laughing while pointing at their friend in orange. Next to Oscar, a bit further back against the wall, sit together Esteban Ocon and Mick Schumacher. The young German is still eating pancakes off of his plate while bodily leaning on top of the Frenchman to see something that the Alpine driver is showing him on his phone. At last, the two missing Grid Kids can be found at the bottom right of the photo, crosslegged and leaning against the wall. Both appear asleep as Pierre Gasly has his head hanging limply forward while Zhou Guanyu is resting his on the Frenchman shoulder.

[ OCCASION: The Grid Kids hang out together in Lewis’ hotel room after the race in Las Vegas ]

Chapter Text

Automatic photo taken by Lando Norris
Monday, December 25th, 2023 at 10:25 am

The photo is taken in a living room that, despite its huge size, felt extremely crowded because of the eleven people making themselves comfortable in it. The room has a Christmas tree decorated in red and silver on the right side, many presents underneath it, and a corner couch that spreads from the front to the left. In the middle of the room sits a rug, covering almost the entire wooden floor. On the wall behind the couch are hanging some silver ornaments in the form of snowflakes and stars and some flickering lights in white. Lewis Hamilton is sitting on the corner cushion of the couch, his right arm open on the back of the couch allowing the driver next to him to lean even closer. On the Brit’s lap sits on of Max Verstappen’s cats, Jimmy, who is very much enjoying the pettings the older driver is providing. The Dutchman is to the left, shoulder to shoulder with Lewis, with his legs up on the couch and tucked under his body. Charles Leclerc is leaning almost completely against the right side of the RedBull driver and is holding in his arms the second of Max’s cats, Sassy, who has his little head cuddled against the Monegasque’s neck. On the right side of Lewis sits his teammate George Russell, legs tucked underneath himself like Max, with the head of the older Brit’s bulldog, Roscoe, in his lap. Pierre Gasly is the last driver on the couch, seated effectively next to Roscoe, petting the back of the dog. Standing next to the Frenchmen stands his fellow countryman, Esteban Ocon leaning against the back of the couch with Mick Schumacher to his left. On the floor in front of Lewis sits Oscar Piastri, who is resting his back against the older man’s legs. Next to him, in front of George, sits Alex Albon who has an arms around Zhou Guanyu’s shoulders, to the Brit’s left. The last driver is Lando Norris who is haphazardly laying belly down in the middle of the rug. All the drivers are wearing some variation of red and white or blue and grey Christmas PJs and are all looking at the camera with big, open, and joyful smiles.

[ OCCASION: The Grid Kids hang out together in Lewis’ home in Colorado for Christmas ]

Chapter Text

Automatic photo taken by Lando Norris
Monday, December 25th, 2023 at 8:52 am

The drivers are sitting around a table, decorated in red and silver like the Christmas tree from the previous photo, and they’ve all changed out of their pyjamas but are all wearing matching Christmas jumpers, red with white snowflakes decorations and white letters. Lewis Hamilton is sitting at the head of the table and is the only one whose jumper is different, spotting the words GRID DAD while all the others are wearing one with the words GRID KID. To his right sits Max Verstappen, wearing a silly Santa hat with a flashing pom-pom. In front of the Dutchman sits Charles Leclerc, the same hat on his head. Next to the Monegasque is Pierre Gasly, and next to him is fellow Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who is wearing a pair of red and white antlers. Next to him, is Mick Schumacher. On the opposite side, to the right next to Max, is sitting Lando Norris wearing a pair of silly Christmas themed goggles with his teammate Oscar Piastri sitting to his other side, holding a pair of the same goggles but refusing to wear them. Next to the Australian sits George Russell, his fellow Brit Alex Albon next to him. Lastly, in front of the Williams driver is Zhou Guanyu. Both of the drivers closer to the camera have popped two cans of confetti, spraying them everywhere on the table, thankfully bare of food yet. Everybody is happy, smiling and laughing at the camera.

[ OCCASION: The Grid Kids have Christmas dinner together at Lewis’ home in Colorado ]

Chapter Text

Grid Family

Sunday, December 31st, 2023 at 4:02 pm

Zhou Guanyu

Photo Attached:
[ The selfie shows Zhou on a balcony, the beautiful view of a city lit by the fireworks right behind him. He has his cat on his shoulder, holding him secure with the other hand. Zhou is smiling softly at the camera. ]

Happy New Year from Shanghai!

Sunday, December 31st, 2023 at 5:09 pm

Lando Norris

Photo Attached:
[ The selfie is shaky, a little unfocused but shows Lando clearly enough. He is surrounded by the red lights of a club, a DJ console right behind him while tens of dark silhouettes of people are in the background. Lando, whose shirt is almost half unbuttoned, is spotting a huge grin as he looks straight to the camera. ]

Happy New Year from Bali fam!!!

Sunday, December 31st, 2023 at 5:15 pm

Alex Albon

Photo Attached:
[ The photo shows a full-body shot of Alex dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, standing with his feet in the sea. His back is to the camera but his head is turned towards it with an all-teeth grin. Fireworks are going off behind him, shining their reflection on the water. ]

Happy New Year from Thailand!!!!

Sunday, December 31st, 2023 at 8:31 pm

Pierre Gasly

Photo Attached:
[ The photo shows Pierre from the side as he’s leaning his forearms on the glass fence of the balcony. He is looking sideways at the camera as he lifts a glass of champagne in toast. Behind him, the fireworks are going off over the bay. ]

Happy New Year from Dubai!

Sunday, December 31st, 2023 at 11:07 pm

Esteban Ocon

Photo Attached:
[ The selfie shows Esteban and Mick Schumacher standing shoulder to shoulder, arms wrapped around each other. The Frenchman has the hood pulled up over his head as he grins like a madman at the camera. Mick is not looking ahead but at his friend instead, pouting at him while Esteban’s hand is making a horns sign behind his head. ]

Happy New Year from Switzerland everybody!!!

Mick Schumacher

Mate...

Of all the photos you had to pick that one?

I’m not even looking at the camera!

Anyway, Happy New Year guys!

Sunday, December 31st, 2023 at 11:26 pm

George Russell

Photo Attached:
[ The photo shows George sitting lazily on a club’s booth, one arm resting on the back of it and the other lifting a bottle of champagne at the camera. His white shirt is open, showing off his chest, and he is grinning at the camera with a party horn held between his lips as the multicolour lights of the club flash all around him. ]

Happy New Year from Monaco!

Also...

Nando says hi!

Monday, January 1st, 2024 at 12:05 am

Charles Leclerc

Photo Attached:
[ The selfie is shaken and slightly unclear, showing Charles holding Max Verstappen close to himself with an arm around his neck. Both of them are laughing openly, Max even having his eyes closed, with a little blush on their cheeks which gives away their already quite inebriated state. Behind them, fireworks are lighting up the night sky. ]

Happy New Year from Lisbon!!!!!

Max Verstappen

Gappy nww yeR giys

Charles Leclerc

Nope

Phone privileges revoked

You're too drunk mate

Monday, January 1st, 2024 at 12:12 am

Oscar Piastri

Photo Attached:
[ The photo is taken in the middle of the street, Oscar captured from the side in between the undefined silhouettes of the tens of people around him. He is looking at the camera, smiling softly and making a peace sign. All around him confetti are falling and the fireworks are exploding in the background. ]

Happy New Year from London!

Monday, January 1st, 2024 at 3:20 am

Lewis Hamilton

Photo Attached:
[ The photo, taken sightly from the side, shaky and a bit unfocused, shows Lewis in the middle of what looks like a dance floor. His shirt is open at the front, dancing around him as he turned to face the camera. Dark silhouettes of the other people are dancing and moving around the Brit. Colorful lights are flashing everywhere, fireworks in the night sky, as Lewis smiles openly at the camera, eyes crinkling and tooth gap on full display. ]

Happy New Year from Brazil!

I wish you a year full of joy, laughter, and love!

May you all succeed and prosper!