He’s better known for his fact-paced feats on the track, but Lewis Hamilton very nearly felt the need for speed of an entirely different kind thanks to his friendship with Tom Cruise.
The Formula 1 ace, currently enduring a torrid time at the Tokyo Grand Prix, admits he was offered a role in the Hollywood star’s 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick.
A sequel to the legendary 1986 film starring Cruise as Naval Aviator Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the film grossed $1.496 billion worldwide and is widely credited for pulling Hollywood out of the financial hole created by COVID-19 and the global pandemic.
But Hamilton, 39, was left to rue a missed opportunity after conflicting schedules resulted in the Mercedes driver turned down a cameo role.
Speaking to GQ, he admitted to begging for a role in the film years before principal photography began, when the prospect of a potential sequel was first mooted by Cruise.
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He’s better known for his fact-paced feats on the track, but Lewis Hamilton very nearly felt the need for speed of an entirely different kind thanks to his friendship with Tom Cruise
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The Formula 1 ace, currently enduring a torrid time at the Tokyo Grand Prix, admits he was offered a role in the Hollywood star’s 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick (picured)
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The film is a sequel to the legendary 1986 film starring Cruise as Naval Aviator Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (pictured)
‘I said, “Dude, if you ever do Top Gun 2, I will even be a janitor. Just let me be in it,”‘ he recalled.
Despite Hamilton’s limited acting ability, good-natured Cruise introduced him to the film’s director, Joseph Kosinski, but the driver soon realised he couldn’t commit to a role.
‘Firstly, I hadn’t even had, like, an acting lesson,’ he said. ‘And I don’t want to be the one that lets this movie down.
‘And then secondly, I just really didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. I remember having to tell Joe and Tom — and it broke my heart.’
He added: ‘And then I regretted it, naturally, when they show me the movie and it’s: “It could’ve been me!”‘
Hamilton’s admission comes after he stormed out of an interview in the paddock following his ninth-place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion’s struggles continued as he picked up just two points, as his worst ever start to a Formula One season continued.
Mercedes opted for a bold tyre strategy following the early red flag from Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo’s crash, as both Hamilton and George Russell attempted a one-stop strategy after the restart.
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Hamilton’s worst ever start to a season continued with a ninth-place finish in Japan during the Tokyo Grand Prix (pictured on April 7)
Lewis Hamilton enjoys his summer break as he tries out surfing
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Hamilton walked away from an interview after he was asked whether he was ‘jealous’ over the speed of Ferrari – the team that he will be joining in the 2025 season
They switched back to two-stops after Hamilton sharply insisted over the team radio: ‘Change the strategy.’
After the race, a reporter asked if he was jealous of Ferrari – the team he will drive for next year – after they finished third and fourth with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton was not impressed with the question as he retorted: ‘Do you have any better questions?’
The reporter apologised but before they could ask a further question, Hamilton walked away and his press officer simply said: ‘Thank you.’
In an another interview, Hamilton revealed that he suffered damage after the restart following contact with Leclerc.
He said: ‘The car is never what I hoped it would be. It’s never what we hoped it would be.
‘I got some damage I think in the first stint at the restart with Charles [Leclerc] and I had massive understeer, like huge, huge understeer.
‘So that’s why I decided to let George [Russell] by, because he seemed quicker and I just couldn’t turn the car.
‘It took us two stints to finally dial more and more wing in to make up for that loss. Last stint, I was better, but it was too late, I had 10 seconds to regain.’
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Hamilton struggled during the race and had to let team-mate George Russell through
Lewis Hamilton commits to Mercedes until 2025
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