Lewis Hamilton spends £200k on vanity plate
It is unlikely that most of us would pay for $400,000 for a personalized license plate. It is also unlikely that most of us are McLaren F1 driver Lewis Hamilton. The plate, "LEW 1S," was purchased by a real estate tycoon named Bob Lewis for under $100,000. When Lewis Hamilton decided he had to have it for his Mercedes SUV, he threw down more than four times that much to whisk it away from Bob. We have nothing against spending whatever you want on whatever you want. However, the plate purchase seems an interesting choice, since one of Hamilton's supposed reasons for leaving England for Switzerland, where he now lives, was to live a quieter, more anonymous life. Thanks for the tip, Eric![Source: One Stop Strategy]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
inteller 9:19AM (6/19/2008)
I wish this guy was a little more modest like Schumacher. He hasn't really done anything outstanding in F1 yet and he is trying to act like a super star.
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PP 12:06PM (6/19/2008)
This story is false. Hamilton has denied buying such a thing and has said that he would never spend so much on a plate. Autoblog should refrain for posting stupid tabloid stories.
PP 12:59PM (6/19/2008)
Hamilton has denied buying the plate in the FIA press conference
Q: I have been asked to ask you a question about a number plate. Have you bought LEW15?
LH: No. Absolutely no interest. That sounds about the worst number plate I’ve ever heard of. I’m not stupid enough to spend a couple of hundred grand on a bloody number plate. I wouldn’t spend a hundred pounds on a number plate. A number plate’s a number plate. It doesn’t mean nothing to me. I just heard about it today. It was the first I’d heard about it.
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/6/7955.html
Demq 1:01PM (6/19/2008)
Well, for all those who need a reliable source, just read his comments on that during the FIA Thursday press conference in France:
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/6/7955.html
You guys again fell for media trash, something in line of "oh look, she didn't shave her armpits for two days, oh my god, what a scandal.." :))
Mobius_1 9:19AM (6/19/2008)
Well, he had to spent the taxes he saved in Switzerland on something, not like there's much paparazzi there anyways
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IK47 9:34AM (6/19/2008)
is that a chocolate car in your avatar, or am I just hungry?
Mobius_1 10:27AM (6/19/2008)
It's actually the Pagani Zonda R in bare carbon fibre, so I'm not too sure it's going to taste very good
rsfourever 11:34AM (6/19/2008)
looks magically delicious to me too...
J3-Colt 9:20AM (6/19/2008)
His plate should read: Dum-A$$ #1
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BigMcLargeHuge 9:23AM (6/19/2008)
Forget oil futures, I'm investing in vanity plates.
Gotta think of common things a future rich guy will want... hmmmm.
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Megan Boris 9:25AM (6/19/2008)
Megan Boris-
what is the interest in vanity plates, isn't the car the status symbol...not how much your license plate cost
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Pacman 9:25AM (6/19/2008)
Giant douche nozle.
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Kitko 9:30AM (6/19/2008)
He's a jerk. A spoilt brat.
He doesn't have the guts to admit he screwed up. Schumacher was the same, but Schumacher was like this naturally and had his grace. Hamilton lacks all of it. But maybe he's just forced not to think on his own.
And, contrary to popular belief, he's not the most succesful rookie in recent history. Jacques Villeneuve scored 4 victories in 16 races, 1st in his 4th race. Hamilton took 4 victories in 17 races, 1st in 6th.
JV scorred 11 podiums in 16 races, LH 12 in 17. LH got more points in his first season due to more races and different scoring system 10-8-6 -5-4-3-2-1. In 1996 it was 10-6-4-3-2-1.
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pmiddle5 7:04PM (6/19/2008)
Schumacher? Grace? He crashed people intentionally (Hill and Villeneuve for the championship!) and attempted to "park his car" at rascasse to end qualifying. He is an amazing determined intelligent individual. But when it comes to winning he'll do anything and is a complete cock
Dazza 9:40AM (6/19/2008)
Hamilton isn't a "jerk" or a "dumbass" as some of the more ignorant US readers on here seem to suggest. He's one of the most likeable personalities in sport.
Again, for those ignorant US readers - UK vanity plates are horrifically expensive. Even a cheap basic one (usually a Northern Ireland three-letter & four-number plate) disguising the vehicle's age - evident on UK plates by letters and latterly numbers - can cost upwards of US$2,000. In general, the fewer the digits, the more the plate will cost, and if the plate spells a name - such as LEW 1S (1977-78 S-suffix plate) or D1 ANA (1986-87 D-prefix plate) then the cost can roun into the equivalent of tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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old blighty 1:47PM (6/21/2008)
I'm from southwark and I agree with the yanks. He is a "dumbass".
Pdexter 10:06AM (6/19/2008)
C'mon he might be liked in Switzerland and some in uk, but he's by no means most liked person in F1, far from it.
fauxham 5:12AM (6/21/2008)
Hamilton is so full of himself. He only wishes he was like Shumacher, Prost, Senna, Alonso or Raikkonen. Total Poser.....he's a stuck up phony. He needs to learn how to be more modest and less arrogant. I would like to see him in a BAR or Force India car...How good would he be then? If he was so GREAT why did he throw the championship away last season? Jenson Button is a much more talented British driver.
Lester 9:46AM (6/19/2008)
Does this guy actually think he is a Saudi or something!?
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Mojo 2:54AM (6/22/2008)
what do u mean by that ignorant racist remark?