T3 TALKS TO

Britain’s best racing driver tells us about the tech that excites him, how much his driving career means to him, and the many ways he keeps in top physical and mental shape

Words: Ruth Hamilton

IMAGE SOURCE:INEOS

It’s good to know that even seven-time Formula 1 champions can be caught out by the ambiguities of Covid-era greeting etiquette. “How awkward is it?! Now it’s like, do you fist bump, do you elbow? Hug but breathe away?” laughs Lewis, over the conundrum of how to say a friendly yet hygienic hello in the pandemic era. Thankfully, T3 is talking to the racing driver via Zoom, where an uncomfortable wave is the worst it gets.

Our chat takes place a few days after the British Grand Prix – courtesy of INEOS Hygienics, whose hand sanitiser dispenser is responsible for keeping the British F1 team’s hands virus-free these days – and begins with Lewis happily reminiscing about picking up T3 magazine in airport WH Smiths in the days when travelling was much more of a regular occurrence.

“I love new tech!” he enthuses. “I love learning about, like, hypersonic planes, and drones, and I’m very much naturally into music so I like new music tech.” He’s particularly excited about a gadget he’s picked up recently – although in classic lockdown purchase fashion, he can’t remember the name of it, and hasn’t quite figured out how to use it yet (it sounds like some kind of MIDI controller ring to us).