Lewis Hamilton reveals input on Puma race shoe: “They haven’t given me the credit for it”

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he had a substantial role in designing an element of a Puma racing shoe while in conversation with TikTok influencer and Formula 1 fan Madeleine White. This year celebrates the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the fashion brand and Ferrari – something the seven-time world champion has been highly interested in. 

According to the Scuderia driver, he was responsible for the carbon fibre heel, a part of the show that can be clearly seen on the Speedcat driving shoes from Puma. Acting as stability and support for when you’re hovering your foot over pedals, it adds a unique element to an already great-looking pair of shoes. 

When asked what he’d like to see in a future Puma collection, he said the following:

“Well, maybe a cool jumpsuit. It’s really important, like the silhouette already. If you look at this top, the shape is my shape. The boot that we raced with today has a carbon heel part. That was my design. They haven’t given me the credit for it,” he joked. 

Since joining Ferrari, Hamilton has taken a central position in the longstanding collaboration between Puma and Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc. 

Continuing in the theme of fashion, the former Mercedes driver was further asked about his choices back in 2005 when the collaboration began.

“Geez, 2005… nothing good. [I would have been] 19. It must have been in Formula 3. I was migrating from wearing my nice baggy oversized clothes, which I really love. Because I was heavily influenced by pop culture and hip hop, and then I was entering into the… I was semi-pro, but then I was kind of forced to put on more slim looks.

“There’s a lot of suits and stuff. I look back and… It really really wasn’t me and it was probably one of the periods of time where I was least happy.”

Beyond his talents behind the wheel, Hamilton is also known for his love for fashion. In fact, he’s co-chairing the Met Gala following this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix alongside Colman Domingo, rapper A$AP Rocky, singer Pharrell Williams, and Vogue’s legendary editor Anna Wintour, where he will be supporting the theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images

“My big fashion ick is the flip-flop that goes down between the crack of your toes,” he told White. “You’re walking along and you hit a curb and it goes right up the toe crack. It’s not, it’s… I do wear socks with slip-ons. Style-wise it’s a no-no. Yeah, it’s cozy.”

The racer also reflected on his ‘Easter egg’ outfit change over the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

“Abu Dhabi last year I wore a red outfit, but I did a colour fade through the days. ‘Cause I was obviously leaving one team [Mercedes], and going into red.”

He continued:

“Generally I love the bold looks that I wouldn’t normally wear.”

Discussing his style icon, he chose the “phenomenal” Prince and the story that connects them.

“He actually had this really amazing earring that went around his whole ear. He once danced with my mom and put it on her ear.” Is there a photo of this? “There’s not, no, because he wouldn’t sign autographs and he wouldn’t do photos or anything like that. So I just have… it’s just in my mind, in my memory.”

Since moving to Ferrari, the Hamilton effect took hold of Puma’s Ferrari sales, with the product line seeing an eightfold increase in sales after the signing according to SportBusiness. As he continues to settle into the red team, we’ll likely see more specific collaborations with the driver as time goes on.

Photos from Miami GP – Practice and Sprint Qualifying