After the FIA Awards Gala last Friday in Baku, a fan on social media claimed that Lewis Hamilton randomly handed him the trophy he received for finishing third in the Formula 1 World Championship.
The social media profile X of Nihad Nesirli posted several pictures posing with some drivers at the event, and wrote: ‘Checking out the [Red Bull] RB19 rocket, meeting the royal family, talking to Max [Verstappen], and receiving his award from Sir Lewis Hamilton. What a night! Beyond my wildest dreams!’.
The same profile posted a picture of the trophy in question, captioned: ‘Hello. I was at the Gala. Lewis Hamilton gave me the award and left. Now I have the award at home’.
However, in a statement quoted by PlanetF1.com, Mercedes assured that Hamilton did not give his trophy to anyone: ‘Immediately after leaving the stage, and as has been done in previous award ceremonies, Lewis accepted the organizers’ offer for the trophy to be sent to the team and therefore left it in their care. We can confirm that he did not give the trophy to anyone as a “gift” as speculated’.
The same website reports that the trophy in question was indeed entrusted to a caretaker, and was subsequently dispatched by an official to be sent to Hamilton’s home. However, it ended up getting separated and the whereabouts of the object are currently unknown. The same X profile that claimed Hamilton had given him the trophy also clarified:
– Lewis Hamilton placed the trophy on the table. I asked him if I could take the award. He said yes, I could take the award. And I thought he had offered me the award. But now, after seeing Mercedes’ statement, I understand that Lewis did not give me the award. He made a mistake and thought I was the FIA representative for the award’.
