The unexpected five-week gap in the Formula 1 calendar—caused by the situation in the Middle East and the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Grands Prix—has been used in very different ways across the paddock.

We have already talked about how Max Verstappen took the opportunity to indulge his passion for GT racing. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, appears to have spent the month—possibly something of a honeymoon—focused on himself and his new companion: Kim Kardashian.

At this point, almost nobody seems to doubt that the two are a couple.

The first reports linking Hamilton and Kardashian came from British tabloid The Sun in February 2026. They were spotted together at the exclusive Estelle estate outside London. Kardashian had flown all the way from Los Angeles to meet the seven-time world champion. The pair reportedly enjoyed a couples' massage before sharing a romantic dinner.

From there, they headed to Paris, where photographers—and eventually video cameras—caught up with them. They stayed at Kim's favorite hotel, the five-star Le Bristol. Hamilton and Kardashian clearly tried to keep the trip private, but it did not take long for photos and videos to spread across social media.

Soon afterward, they were seen together again in the United States.

Hamilton attended the Super Bowl in California, sitting in a VIP suite immediately to Kardashian's right.

By that stage, denying the relationship no longer seemed particularly convincing.

Then came the Japanese Grand Prix.

Before race weekend, Hamilton visited the famous Daikoku Parking Area for an evening of drifting. Sitting beside him in a Ferrari F40 was none other than Kardashian herself.

It seems highly unlikely that they simply happened to find themselves in the same city by coincidence.

The pair were later filmed strolling through Tokyo by passers-by, who also noted that Kim's children were with them—and that the seven-time Formula 1 champion appeared to interact warmly with them throughout the outing.

Another, albeit indirect, clue came from George Russell, who commented on Hamilton's current state of mind at Ferrari.

Lewis, Russell suggested, looked happier than he had in quite some time.

Perhaps because he now feels surrounded by love.

Since we're talking about Formula 1, it's worth briefly reminding ourselves who Kim Kardashian actually is.

She was born into one of America's most recognizable families. Her father, Robert Kardashian, was a prominent attorney, while her mother, Kris Jenner, became one of the country's most influential media personalities. Money was never an issue.

Outside the United States, relatively few people realize that Robert Kardashian served on O.J. Simpson's legal defense team during the infamous murder trial of the 1990s—a case that ended with Simpson's acquittal.

Kim herself grew up in Beverly Hills.

Her first taste of fame came while working as Paris Hilton's assistant. Interestingly, Hilton has also become a familiar face around Formula 1 in recent years, frequently appearing alongside Lando Norris and even helping promote him into TIME magazine's Top 100 list.

Kim's global breakthrough came with Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which premiered in 2007 and ultimately ran for twenty seasons across 280 episodes.

The series offered viewers unprecedented access to the lives of Kim and the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner family.

She later launched the shapewear brand Skims, collaborated with numerous luxury fashion houses, fronted global advertising campaigns, appeared in several films, and even released a music album.

Today, she has arguably eclipsed even her mother as America's most recognizable celebrity.

Her romantic history has attracted almost as much attention as her career.

Hamilton is believed to be the ninth high-profile relationship of her adult life.

The list includes music producer Damon Thomas, singer Ray J, NFL stars Reggie Bush and Miles Austin, NBA player Kris Humphries, rapper Kanye West—whose recent controversies have dominated headlines—comedian Pete Davidson, and NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

It's certainly an impressive roster.

Kim Kardashian is four years older than Hamilton, though that hardly appears to bother him.

The two actually met more than a decade ago.

At the time, Kardashian was married to Kanye West, who happened to be friendly with Hamilton, while Lewis himself was dating singer Nicole Scherzinger.

Ten years later, circumstances look rather different.

Interestingly, Hamilton's long-term relationship with Scherzinger reportedly ended largely because the two disagreed about marriage and children.

Since then, the Ferrari driver has repeatedly described himself as committed to a child-free lifestyle.

"Every day I say no to so many things. If I think something could affect my preparation or my training, I step away from it. If there's any impact on the team, it's an immediate no. That applies to friendships and relationships too. My only child is my race car."

Something, it seems, may have changed.

Formula 1 fans will remember how devastated Hamilton was by the death of his beloved bulldog Roscoe last September.

Realistically speaking, the Briton's chances of securing an eighth world title appear slim. At forty years old, perhaps this really is the moment to focus more on life away from racing.

Still, many observers remain skeptical.

After all, celebrities—and even sporting legends—are perfectly capable of forming genuine relationships.

Yet the entertainment industry is so intertwined with publicity and commercial interests that suspicion inevitably follows.

Could this simply be another carefully orchestrated Hollywood publicity campaign?

It is hardly a secret that many high-profile celebrity romances exist largely to generate headlines, magazine covers, paparazzi photos, and social media engagement.

One could easily imagine Hamilton calling an old acquaintance and proposing the ultimate publicity stunt.

Their visibility would soar across entirely new audiences.

Later, they could sit together reading online comments and laughing:

"Can you believe we actually pulled it off? And everyone bought it."

Years ago, similar accusations surrounded David Beckham and Victoria Adams.

In their case, however, the relationship proved to be anything but manufactured.

The same may well be true here.

The emotions certainly do not appear staged.

And America has already spent the past several years following the romance between NFL star Travis Kelce and global music icon Taylor Swift—a relationship that has clearly turned out to be genuine.

During NFL broadcasts, Swift sometimes receives almost as much screen time as the players themselves.

So perhaps Hamilton and Kardashian deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Either way, it will be fascinating to see where this story goes next.

Especially while Lewis's fortunes on the racetrack remain considerably less convincing than those off it.