Anthony Hamilton Makes Unexpected Visit to Verstappen's Garage at GT World Challenge
Anthony Hamilton, father of Lewis Hamilton, was seen visiting Max Verstappen's garage during the GT World Challenge finale in Portimao. While not supporting any specific driver, Hamilton found Verstappen's race position particularly intriguing.
Anthony Hamilton, father of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, made a surprise visit to Max Verstappen's garage during the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portimao. Despite his son being Verstappen's former F1 title rival, Anthony clarified he wasn't backing any particular driver but found Verstappen's race circumstances particularly intriguing.
In a brief hiatus from the Formula 1 calendar, Verstappen was back in action in GT racing. However, things got off to a bumpy start for the Dutchman. The #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 he was a part of faced setup troubles during qualifying, causing it to bottom out and resulting in a 15th place qualifying position. By race time, penalties bumped the car up to 13th on the grid.
Ben Barnicoat, taking the wheel for the first stint, managed to climb to 7th place before passing the baton to Chris Lulham. Lulham's stint was eventful, involving contact with fellow Mercedes driver Luca Stolz at Turn 8, which earned him a drive-through penalty and dashed any hopes of a victory.
When Verstappen took over for the final 45 minutes, he started from 24th and skillfully maneuvered his way to a 9th place finish. During this time, Anthony Hamilton was spotted mingling in the Verstappen Racing garage.
Hamilton, a frequent visitor to F1 events supporting his son, explained his presence at the GT event. He has a long-standing connection to Portugal, owning a house nearby for 25 years, making the event practically on his doorstep. "It's been fantastic," he commented on the atmosphere, "It's great to see so many people here in Portugal."
His enthusiasm for motorsport remains undiminished. "I always get a buzz," he said about being on the grid, adding that he often catches up with drivers he has known since their junior racing days.
When asked specifically about supporting Verstappen, Anthony responded diplomatically, "I’m supporting everybody, to be quite honest." Yet, he admitted to keeping an eye on Verstappen, intrigued by his starting position and race potential. Upon learning that Verstappen's team wasn't quite at the back but in the mid-pack of the 61-car field, Hamilton chuckled, "He’s in mid-pack. Alright, okay."
As for Verstappen, he now shifts focus back to Formula 1, heading to the United States Grand Prix. After recent victories in Malaysia and Singapore, Verstappen currently sits fourth in the Drivers’ standings, trailing Lewis Hamilton by a mere eight points.