F1 Hamilton blows $400,000 on “LEW 1S” number plate

[PanterroR]

Lewis Hamilton has reportedly spent an eye-watering nearly $400,000 for a personalised number-plate. The British formula 1 driver is now the flamboyant owner of the plate ‘LEW 1S’, which he will attach to his black 4×4 Mercedes-Benz for use in Switzerland, his adopted tax-haven home.

The plate was formerly owned by property tycoon Bob Lewis, who bought it last year for less than $100,000.

“A friend said he had been reluctant to part with the plate but (Hamilton’s) offer had been too good to refuse,” the British newspaper Daily Telegraph revealed.

In contrast, Hamilton’s track rival Nick Heidfeld has vowed to pledge some of his earnings to a worthy cause.

“I am lucky to have quite a lot of money and I would like to be able to give some of it away,” the German told ITV.

Heidfeld, who drives for BMW-Sauber, said he is considering pledging some money towards an invention that would clean water for underprivileged people.

“That’s something I find very interesting and its something I’m considering,” he added.

In other brief news, it has emerged that McLaren race team member Steve Hewitt had a ride in the medical helicopter to hospital during the Montreal weekend after he hurt his thumb in the paddock.

The thumb was not broken as feared, and Hewitt returned to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with a stitch or two, Switzerland’s Motorsport Aktuell reports.


Source: Motor Authority Hamilton blows $400,000 on “LEW 1S” number plate

 

[Cashmere]

gotta love how the press shows contrast's in character and behaviour.

 

[Centurion]

gotta love how the press shows contrast's in character and behaviour.

Yeah. I don't see anything wrong with Hamilton dropping that much on a plate. He hasn't become very wealthy until the recent 18 months or so while Heidfeld is close to 8 years older and have already spent money on what ever he wants.

 

[SDNR]

LOL ....the British press created a lot of hype around Hamilton ....and now it seems they want to kick him in the head.

So what?

What Hamilton choses to do with his own money is his business.

 

[Centurion]

LOL ....the British press created a lot of hype around Hamilton ....and now it seems they want to kick him in the head.

Motor Authority is American

Here in the UK he's still the golden child with the press biased more than ever. He will be coming to Britain in the first week of July for the British Grand Prix, and on the 2nd July he'll be in London for Bernie Ecclestone's charity event. I'll be lining up along side the red carpet for autographs. It's going to be absolute pandemonium over here.

 

[Monster]

So did he really move to Switzerland to avoid the publicity? If so he really shouldn't use the plate on his car, he can buy it, I got no problems with that.

 

[Centurion]

So did he really move to Switzerland to avoid the publicity? If so he really shouldn't use the plate on his car, he can buy it, I got no problems with that.

That crossed my mind as well. Not a good move if you want to be low key, but apparently he's invisible as a normal person in Switzerland. Last week I read an interview where Hamilton said that he can drive to the airport there and pick friends up without anyone even caring for him. The same applies to going out for a jog.

In the UK it would have been the complete opposite. As hot as he is right now, he can't live in the UK. He simply wouldn't have been left alone neither by the population nor by the press. Thanks to living outside the UK, the press here have very little to write about him which isn't F1 related.

 

[SDNR]

We know he also really moved to Switzerland for the tax advantages he gets as a wealthy foreign citizen.

 

[Tarek]

I thought he moved to Switzerland for favourable tax system?

 

[Giannis]

Guys, what is this all about Switzerland and the tax system? What is different in comparison to the UK?

 

[Remy Zero]

he should learn to stop at red first

btws, nice avatar, Rob.

 

[siko]

If this is true, I lost all respect for him.

I mean there's such thing as vanity... but sh!t like this is just plain stupid, no matter how much cash you have.

 

[warot]

Yeah. I don't see anything wrong with Hamilton dropping that much on a plate. He hasn't become very wealthy until the recent 18 months or so while Heidfeld is close to 8 years older and have already spent money on what ever he wants.

I'll bet you Heidfeld is not even worth 1/3 of Hamilton's money...

 

[Speedster]

Re: Hamilton blows $400,000 on “LEW 1S” number plate

I don't get why, i mean if he bought the F1 plate maybe? I dunno, not really caught onto that whole personal plate thing.

Im a great fan of Switzerland, and ive been many times - my parents are considering buying a house there but the rules are annoying so I kinda found out a lot about the place.

Firstly, iirc your car displays a licence plate which you get when you have a licence, which shows the Canton/Area of your birth/registered and then a series of random letters and numbers which you keep kinda like in GErmany, so im not entirely sure he will be able to use this licence plate anyway.

Secondly, Switzerland has a slight tax advantage on the UK, but realistically the main tax advantage is gone. You see, because in Switzerland until recently Motorsport was illegal. Thus, if you were a racing driver who lived in Switzerland you were technically unemployed as the state did not recognise your job. So, F1 drivers were unemployed and did not have to pay tax as technically they did not have a job. Therefore Michael Schumacher etal. could rake in the money without tax . Now its legal, i think tax is returning for F1 drivers.

I read somewhere he was bored with Switzerland and is thinking of moving somewhere else.

 

[Gene]

Consider this a Lewis bashing moment from me, but I recall last year when Lewis debuted, everyone from Jackie Stewart to the guy with a little bit of F1 knowledge were saying that Lewis is the most down-to-earth guy, and F1 won't change him.

One year on, and he's off buying license plates worth more than my house. Gee, what a down-to-earth guy. Its funny the the u-turn that some people have made. Take a read of this:

Hamilton has 'different mindset' - Kubica
Monday, 16 June 2008
Jun.16 (GMM) Robert Kubica has revealed that he is no longer as close to formula one rival Lewis Hamilton as he once was.

23-year-old Kubica, who snatched the lead of the drivers' championship from the similarly aged Hamilton in Canada a week ago, has known his new title challenger since their karting days.

But although they are often cited as contemporaries and friends, Kubica played down their closeness in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa.

"We have had similar careers and there is mutual respect," Kubica said.

"But I have the impression that we embarked on our adventure in F1 with a different mindset and this has made us lose a bit of contact.

"And he doesn't know how to play poker," Kubica joked.

The poker reference is significant; Kubica's closest F1 ally is Fernando Alonso, with whom he often whiles away downtime during GP weekends.

Alonso, of course, fell out spectacularly with Hamilton and McLaren team chiefs in 2007.

Some commentators have also contrasted Kubica's "basic needs" out of life with Hamilton's growing extravagance.

While Hamilton's recent exploits involved attending movie premieres, holidaying with pop stars and attending the MTV music awards, former grand prix driver Martin Brundle observes that Kubica only wants "a roof over his head, food and a fast racing car".

Kubica even brushed off La Stampa's invitation to describe his burgeoning talents at the wheel of a F1 racer.

"Rather than talents, to me it is more important to focus on your weaknesses and try to improve them," he insisted.

This defines exactly why I like Kubica over Hamilton of the new-generation drivers. Kubica (for the time being) seems to focus on the racing. Hamilton does the extravagance with a bit of racing on the side.

 

[Centurion]

Consider this a Lewis bashing moment from me, but I recall last year when Lewis debuted, everyone from Jackie Stewart to the guy with a little bit of F1 knowledge were saying that Lewis is the most down-to-earth guy, and F1 won't change him.

One year on, and he's off buying license plates worth more than my house. Gee, what a down-to-earth guy. Its funny the the u-turn that some people have made. Take a read of this:



This defines exactly why I like Kubica over Hamilton of the new-generation drivers. Kubica (for the time being) seems to focus on the racing. Hamilton does the extravagance with a bit of racing on the side.

Oh please! All this noise for a vanity plate. I mean why not, he's banking over €20 000 000 a year , so what if he treats himself with a plate. Here in the UK some plates are sold for more than that. Heck a plate was purchase for a whopping $16 000 000 in the Emirates a couple of months ago.

Living out of a suitcase for 90% of the year travel around the world, battling with jet lag and spending your entire time dressed in team racing gear, Hamilton is justified to spend money on what ever he likes. The dude works very hard for his money and can die on a race circuit at any time so let him enjoy his cash.

 

[warot]

Oh please! All this noise for a vanity plate. I mean why not, he's banking over €20 000 000 a year , so what if he treats himself with a plate. Here in the UK some plates are sold for more than that. Heck a plate was purchase for a whopping $16 000 000 in the Emirates a couple of months ago.

Living out of a suitcase for 90% of the year travel around the world, battling with jet lag and spending your entire time dressed in team racing gear, Hamilton is justified to spend money on what ever he likes. The dude works very hard for his money and can die on a race circuit at any time so let him enjoy his cash.

THat wasn't the point of Gene's post though. As many would agree, when LH started as a rookie, people were rooting for him. He's almost seen as public enemy #1 now because he pretty dang arrogant. To me, it's a lot more about vanity plates, movie premieres and stuff like that... just the bigger picture

 

[Cashmere]

Going back to my first post, This is exactly what I was trying to say. The press has purposely created a negativity bias towards Hamilton by showing what other drivers are doing with their money, meanwhile in such a profession with a talent like hamilton I would say this kind of behavious is perfectly acceptable. I know I woud be doing the same.

 

[Centurion]

movie premieres and stuff like that...

Top athletes get invited to movie premiers on a monthly basis and Hamilton is really just another athlete who happen to attend them. I can't see anything wrong with that. It's just that whenever super athletes like Hamilton do something it gets highlighted in the media, and sometimes mirrored in a negative way like in this very article by Motor Authority. As far as arrogance go he is more confidence especially when talking to the media these days, a little too much maybe. If you ask me overconfidence doesn't get you as far as humility does. Although I support him, my opinion is that he should tone down a little and the same applies to the Mclaren team.

What's even more peculiar is that Motor Authority isn't even an F1 news site. Just like Worldcarfans they only write about F1 when there's some "juicy" content. The article itself is laugh worthy. The titles indicates that it's about the plate but they it moves on to Heidfeld to finish off with injured Steve Hewitt who have zero to do with the article's main focus.

 

[Gene]

Oh please! All this noise for a vanity plate. I mean why not, he's banking over €20 000 000 a year , so what if he treats himself with a plate. Here in the UK some plates are sold for more than that. Heck a plate was purchase for a whopping $16 000 000 in the Emirates a couple of months ago.

Living out of a suitcase for 90% of the year travel around the world, battling with jet lag and spending your entire time dressed in team racing gear, Hamilton is justified to spend money on what ever he likes. The dude works very hard for his money and can die on a race circuit at any time so let him enjoy his cash.

Personally I could care less about what he spends his money on. Its his money and he can spend it on a solid gold toilet and wipe his ass with $100 bills. Fact is that the once humble Hamilton is not so humble anymore is he? When he came onto the scene, everybody talked him up as a humble, down-to-earth guy who won't get the glitz and glamour of F1 get to his head. Now my question to you - does a humble person go splash out on a vanity plate worth that much? I think not. Heck, the once humble Hamilton even compares himself to the greats like Senna (in Monaco), suggesting that he is now of the F1 racing greats after a year. Thats something that no other driver has done, because no one is cocky enough to say such things - it'll just invite criticism. Truth is Hamilton hasn't even been driving that great either (relative to the other F1 drivers). Monaco was very lucky, and most people know how to stop at a red traffic light.

By the way you make it seem like he lives the hard life. If he lives the hard life, jet setting around the world, being paid millions, lots of women, fast cars... then I really wonder what you do for a job.