Lewis Hamilton is being dubbed a hypocrite by Formula One fans after past comments about economic inequality emerged on the same weekend his billionaire girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, watched him race for the first time.
Hamilton, 41, secured his third podium of the season at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, finishing second after a dramatic ending in which Kimi Antonelli picked up the chequered flag for the fifth race in a row.
However, the seven-time world champion has come under fire for criticising the super-rich on Jay Shetty’s podcast three and a half years ago.
‘One of the things that I struggle with every day is that there is such a disparity between the wealthy and the poor,’ Hamilton said in 2023. ‘When you drive around LA, there are still so many people living on the streets.
‘You shouldn’t be able to have billions. I think there should be a limit to how much you can have because there’s enough to go around for everyone.’
The video of Hamilton making the statement re-emerged on social media at the weekend and came under scrutiny because Hamilton’s new beau Kim is worth an estimated $1.9 billion (£1.42bn).
Lewis Hamilton gave billionaire girfriend Kim Kardashian a kiss on the cheek after finishing second in the Monaco Grand Prix
Much of the attention across the weekend was on the seven-time world champion’s girlfriend, who was attending a grand prix for the first time since their relationship came into the public eye.
Following the end of the race, Hamilton could be seen rushing over to Kim to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
The Ferrari driver is one of the richest sports people in the world, with an estimated worth of around $550million (£412m).
That means that as a couple, Hamilton and Kim are believed to have a combined worth of $2.45bn (£1.83bn).
The combined wealth of the two means that some fans have been critical of Hamilton’s previous comments.
One wrote: ‘Both the amount of hypocrisy here and the lack of pushback is really something to behold.’
Meanwhile, another added: ‘Umm… a bit rich coming from Hamilton. What’s the net worth of your girlfriend, Kim Kardashian again?’
A different comment read: ‘@LewisHamilton be the change you want to see and give all of the boundless excess of cash you and your girlfriend have away and we’ll go next.’
Kardashian watched Hamilton race for the first time since their romance was made public
The seven-time world champion secured his third podium of the season on Sunday
Kardashian and Hamilton, who have been friends for over a decade, have been going strong for nearly six months after they were first spotted getting cosy on New Year’s Eve in Aspen.
They went public with their romance at the Super Bowl in February then subsequently went Instagram official.
Just last week, Kardashian and Hamilton took a huge step in their relationship as he was seen with her four children, who she shares with ex Kanye West, for the first time.
A source previously said that the couple have an ‘intense’ relationship and added that Kardashian’s family absolutely ‘adores’ him.
Earlier this week, Kardashian provided fans with a rare glimpse at their relationship on Instagram. The mother-of-four posted a selfie that Hamilton had taken while they enjoyed a bike ride together on Monday.
