There’s no doubt that Kim Kardashian is a trailblazer. She’s created her own path, carved out her own spaces in industries, and added new layers to what women – and people – can achieve. But can she continue traditions and carry them on?
That’s the question that fans of Formula 1 racing have now that she’s been seen to be dating Ferrari F1 driver Sir Lewis Hamilton. Here’s what to know about the ‘helmet kiss’ tradition and how Kim and Lewis seem to be getting on in their budding romance.
The ‘Helmet Kiss’ Was Popularized By Nicole Scherzinger
GettyRace winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing is congratulated by his girlfriend Kelly Piquet in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 23, 2021 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
Lewis Hamilton, the current Ferrari Formula 1 driver on the grid, previously dated the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger, from 2007 until the pair separated in 2015. During that time, Hamilton rose to the height of his career and won the first three of his seven FIA Formula 1 World Championship titles he has to his name. Hamilton won his first World Championship in 2008 while dating Scherzinger, and again in 2014 and 2015.
Whenever Lewis Hamilton would have a standout performance on the track – which was frequent in the British driver’s time on the track – Scherzinger would celebrate his success by running to him and giving him a kiss directly onto his racing helmet. This became known as the ‘helmet kiss’ and it earned a spot in the iconic moments sealed into the history of the sport.
Other drivers and their significant others – such as the newlyweds Charles and Alexandra Leclerc – have since taken on the iconic ‘helmet kiss’ and made the affectionate gesture their own. The moment when a Formula 1 driver succeeds on the track is both a public celebration and a private one to be shared with loved ones. In the paddock, drivers frequently run to their wives or girlfriends first to share an intimate moment before shaking hands with their teams, engineers, race personnel, and FIA representatives. Many of those celebratory moments between drivers and the ladies in their lives have been sealed with a helmet kiss.
Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton Haven’t Been Shy About Their Affection For Each Other
GettyWinner Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen is congratulated by his girlfriend Kelly Piquet after the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Monaco street circuit in Monaco, on May 23, 2021.
One reason to believe that Kim Kardashian will plant a kiss on Lewis Hamilton’s helmet when she eventually attends a Grand Prix race to cheer him on is the fact that the pair haven’t been private about their emerging romance. The two A-Listers have been friends for years and share multiple friend groups – Hamilton even dated Kardashian’s younger sister, Kendall Jenner, several years!
From being seen together at the Super Bowl LX to enjoying time together out in public in Paris, Arizona, Lake Powell, and across the globe, there’s nothing shy about the relationship between SKIMS mogul and the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion. Hamilton and Kardashian seem to be building a solid, healthy foundation for a romance that stems from the friendship they’ve had for years – now they just need to seal it with a helmet kiss!
Will Kim Kardashian Continue The ‘Helmet Kiss’ Tradition As She’s Dating Lewis Hamilton?