Lewis Hamilton has agreed to take part in Sunday’s LEGO drivers’ parade at Silverstone despite a pay row behind the scenes.
F1 had earlier confirmed that an anticipated record race-day crowd of 175,000 would be treated to a Lego race before the main grand prix, featuring 22 fully driveable Lego Group minicars in each of the team’s colours, and each made from 28,000 real Lego bricks.
However, Hamilton surprised media when he expressed doubts about his participation in the Lego race in Thursday’s FIA press conference.
Asked for his thoughts on Sunday’s drivers’ parade, which will be a rerun of the Lego race held in Miami last year to general acclaim, the seven-time world champion admitted that he found it amusing last time when he was chauffeured around the Florida circuit by Charles Leclerc, his Ferrari teammate.
“I let Charles drive last time, and it was just hilarious watching everyone crashing into each other,” he said, adding: “It’s the most dangerous part of the weekend.”
But he then added that he “did not know whether or not I’ll be in the Lego car this year”.
Asked whether that was because he was worried about getting injured, Hamilton replied: “I mean, there’s not really much to say on that car thing.
That’s something I need to take offline.”
Telegraph Sport understands Hamilton and other drivers have voiced frustrations at the need to do ever more media and marketing appearances without being paid for them.
The dispute is similar to those which have happened in other sports such as golf, with the US pair Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay leading a move to block Netflix’s access to the team room at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, as they felt players should be remunerated for their participation.
Ferrari later confirmed that Hamilton would take part on Sunday, although he has upset British fans with no-shows in the past.
The nine-time British Grand Prix winner snubbed a preview event in central London in 2017.
Hamilton decided to take a “two-day break” in Greece instead.
He was the only driver to miss the event in Trafalgar Square.
It is understood that Hamilton is not alone in feeling that the drivers should be paid for these appearances, although he was the only one to publicly express doubts about participating.
Other drivers said they were looking forward to it.
“I’m actually really excited because I missed it in Miami last year when I was watching it and it looked so fun,” said Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas, who did not take part as he did not have a drive last year.
“Everyone is capped to 25kph, so I think saving distance is probably the key.”
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