Ted Kravitz shares Lewis Hamilton’s ‘surprised’ reaction to Kamala Harris supporting him

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Lewis Hamilton is by some distance the highest-profile figure in Formula 1. Much of that is down to his unparalleled success.

Hamilton has won seven world championships – a feat only Michael Schumacher can match. But he leads the way outright for victories (105), pole positions (104) and podiums (201).

Not just a pure athlete, he’s also acquired celebrity status. His forays into fashion and music have been influential in this regard.

Hamilton has amassed just under 38 million followers on his Instagram account. For reference, Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris just about surpass that figure combined.

Among the 39-year-old’s most famous supporters is Kamala Harris, the presidential candidate for the Democrats in the United States. Harris said recently that her whole family loves F1, though they often struggle to watch the races live due to scheduling issues.

When podcast host Howard Stern asked her to name her favourite driver, she said: “Lewis Hamilton. He’s leaving Mercedes.”

Ted Kravitz says Lewis Hamilton found Kamala Harris’ support ‘surreal’

Harris’ comments came in the weeks leading up to the United States Grand Prix, where Hamilton is gunning for a seventh victory. Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz asked him about the presidential hopeful’s endorsement.

Hamilton is shocked that Harris follows F1, let alone supports him, given the demands on her time. But he feels it speaks to the growth of the sport in the US.

This weekend’s race in Austin is one of three held stateside on the current calendar. The first takes place in Miami in the spring, while the last is staged in Las Vegas at the end of the season.

US fans will be delighted to watch the action at sociable hours, but with the election just three weeks away, Harris is unlikely to be an active viewer. Incidentally, no Democrat has won in the state of Texas since 1976.

Kravitz said: “We asked Lewis about this. He said ‘I saw it, I was pleasantly surprised, it’s quite surreal that someone in the presidential campaign has the time to watch Formula 1 and to be a supporter of mine.

“It’s a sign of the breadth of depth of Formula 1 in the US that maybe we’ll have someone in the White House who will be watching the Grand Prix when they’re in there. I thought that was quite funny.”

Lewis Hamilton on the ‘almost impossible’ issue Mercedes face at the United States Grand Prix

Hamilton bagged his first US GP win back in 2007, when the event was still held at Indianapolis. It would then drop off the calendar until 2012, Austin’s debut.

The Briton was the first driver to win at the circuit and would go on to take victory in four of the next five runnings. His prospects of adding to that tally this year are slim.

Mercedes have brought upgrades, so that will inspire optimism. But Hamilton says it’s ‘almost impossible’ to evaluate new parts with just one practice session before Sprint qualifying on Friday evening.

American F1 legend Mario Andretti has ‘noticed’ more ‘grit’ from Hamilton this season. He’s chasing at least one more victory with Mercedes before he joins Ferrari in the winter.