In a dazzling move that has the motorsport world buzzing, Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 champion, has entered into a scintillating multi-year partnership with Fanatics Collectibles. As the motor-racing circuit spins into a new season, Hamilton is setting his own fresh pace. After spending a dozen victorious years with Mercedes, Hamilton is now clad in red, donning Ferrari’s iconic suit, and driving into a collector’s paradise with officially licensed memorabilia and trading cards under an exclusive autograph agreement with Topps. For those who have followed his career with bated breath, it’s a new era both on and off the track.
This intriguing alliance boosts Hamilton’s already formidable presence in the realm of trading cards, offering fans authenticated signatures and snippets of his race-spun gear on Topps-produced gems. Although not unfamiliar with Topps’ catalog, this venture grants Hamilton the rare luxury of individual creative flair on card designs—an art as refined as his racing prowess. Moreover, a portion of the proceeds will venture into the philanthropic circuits, driving support for causes close to Hamilton’s heart.
Last Friday, London’s Regent Street glimmered with excitement as Hamilton cut the ribbon at the Fanatics Collectibles’ flagship store. Fans were treated to an exclusive spectacle: the unveiling of Hamilton’s first one-of-one Topps Chrome F1 card, emblazoned with a personal “Forza Ferrari” inscription atop his vibrant red Ferrari suit. It’s a collector’s dream come true; only five red-parallel copies exist, each already inciting waves of desire among collectors from Paris to Tokyo.
Topps only secured the rights to F1 trading cards and stickers back in 2020. They wisely capitalized on the trading-card revival that was fueled by Netflix’s electrifying “Drive to Survive” series and the global lockdown collectibles boom. Since then, eight Topps F1 cards have sailed past the $100,000 mark at auction. Leading the pack, perhaps unsurprisingly, was a Hamilton card: the 2020 Chrome Superfractor, a precious artifact that fetched over a million dollars wrapping up the 2024 season. His non-autographed Superfractor was no slouch either, pulling $900,000 in May 2022, followed closely by the 2020 Chrome Sapphire Padparadscha 1/1, which was snagged for $740,000 later that year.
In an exclusive chat with The Athletic, just before the throttle was opened for the Miami Grand Prix, Hamilton bared his sentimental side. Collecting has been a joie de vivre since his boyhood days spent coveting Premier League stickers. Those humble packs were a portal to camaraderie and adventure. “Trading those packs with friends meant everything,” he mused. “I never imagined one day my own memorabilia would support causes I care about.”
A day at the London store was akin to a grand prix homecoming, resonating deeply with Hamilton. Meeting an admirer who had one of his elusive one-of-one cards was an intersection of past and present that thrilled him to his core. “He grew up watching F1 and Arsenal just like me. Hearing his story made me feel we’re part of something bigger.”
When asked about the keepsakes that hold the most personal value, Hamilton didn’t hesitate. Each comes with a tale: his inaugural yellow go-kart helmet—crafted with his father’s love and a bit of spray paint from B&Q, his triumph at Monaco with his first trophy, and the very first race suit that felt like hope’s embrace. “Those ‘firsts’ mean more than anything,” he reflected, grounding memories in reverence.
Beyond the circuits and cards, Hamilton has quite the collection of art and vintage cars. Yet it’s the quieter moments, when he can sit with a glass of wine and explore the depths of a young Black or African artist’s work, that enrich his soul. For an intriguing and slightly whimsical twist, his most unusual autograph request was signing a pair of minuscule Japanese boxer shorts—across the back no less! “It was bizarre,” he granted with a chuckle. “But hey, it made someone’s day!”
For those in pursuit of the next hot collectibles, Hamilton’s insights are gold dust. His picks? Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, and Isack Hadjar, a name he insists is one to watch.
Lewis Hamilton’s partnership with Fanatics is not merely a business endeavor; it’s a celebration of passion, art, and shared histories. For the fans who cheer him on from grandstands around the world, this is just another chapter in the extraordinary life of a driver who continues to break barriers on the track and champions causes off it.