Yesterday Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes introduced F1 on Fifth Avenue in New York through a collaborative event with Whatsapp.
The event, aimed at promoting Mercedes‘ partnership with Whatsapp, the Meta-owned instant messaging service, reunited Lewis Hamilton with the W12.
He took the car for a spin on New York’s Fifth Avenue, introducing the sport to both tourists and locals. Lucky onlookers witnessed him completing Donuts and driving down the famous street.
Hamilton expressed his excitement at being reunited with the car, which led Mercedes to victory in their latest championship in 2021.
.@LewisHamilton making history at the Empire State Building @MercedesAMGF1 @WhatsApp pic.twitter.com/f9ybCuHjSL
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) April 30, 2024
‘Such a dream’
Hamilton, as fans know, is no stranger to the disappointment of what Mercedes have produced since 2021. Speaking at the event, he remarked ‘I can’t believe that we’re here in the middle of New York City, down Fifth Avenue.’
He expressed his desire for the W15 to resemble the W12, calling it the car he ‘wanted.’
F1 in America
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff also attended the event. He noted the significant turnout, stating, ‘You can see how many people showed up without this having been announced, because obviously you can’t shut down New York with a Formula 1 car, there would be thousands of people.’
Wolff attributed this success to F1’s growing popularity in America, where races are held in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas. He remarked, ‘It was a success and you can see that in the faces of the people.’
Emoji
That was not all. Whatsapp changed their racing car Emoji from a Red to one mirroring the Mercedes’ W15 livery. The model car was displayed on Fifth Avenue in New York alongside Hamilton.
This ended a weekend of events in the city, including the lighting up of the Empire State Building, a dynamic light show, car displays, and pit stop exhibit. Wolff and Hamilton lit up the Empire State Building themselves who have both thanked all for their involvement.
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