Lewis Hamilton appears to have influenced his girlfriend Kim Kardashian's behaviour after the reality TV star snubbed Martin Brundle during the Monaco Grand Prix grid walk. The socialite was present to support Hamilton, but when Brundle attempted to interview her, she looked away awkwardly, refusing to engage.
Hamilton's Similar Approach
Hamilton himself has adopted a similar tactic. The seven-time world champion, who finished second in Monaco, used to be a regular feature on Brundle's pre-race grid walk but now declines to participate. Brundle, a former F1 driver turned commentator, explained in a 2022 interview with GQ that some drivers will "never talk to him" these days, including Hamilton.
"I never tried to dropkick them or get clever with the questions," said Brundle. "It tends to be quite happy and smashy and nicey conversation. Generally speaking, they trust me. A few will just shake their head and apologise later. Others come up to me in the paddock and say, 'You haven't seen me on the grid for ages, just come and talk to me.' And then others will never talk. Lewis used to talk to me a lot and then stopped."
Last Exchange at Silverstone
The last notable interaction between Hamilton and Brundle occurred at last year's British Grand Prix. Brundle praised Hamilton for an iconic look after his Ferrari move was confirmed, but Hamilton responded prickly: "Thanks man, that means a lot coming from you. You don't have too many positive things to say always." This may have been a reference to Brundle's past comments about Hamilton's post-race interviews during a decline in form, though the exact reason for the tension remains unknown.
Kardashian's Snub
Kardashian's cold shoulder is not unique; many celebrities have ignored Brundle during his traditional grid walk. Hamilton, meanwhile, moved to second in the drivers' standings after his runner-up finish in France, leapfrogging teammate Charles Leclerc, who crashed, while former teammate George Russell dropped to third after a 12th-place finish in Monaco.
