In a sweeping move that blends the thrill of high-speed motorsports with the intricate world of collectible trading cards, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has signed a monumental multi-year partnership with Fanatics Collectibles. This collaboration promises to bring fans closer to Hamilton’s world by delivering an array of officially licensed memorabilia and trading cards under an exclusive autograph agreement with Topps, a company that Fanatics absorbed in a high-profile acquisition last year.
Hamilton, the embodiment of racing prowess and style, has already left an indelible mark on the glamourous world of F1. But this new alliance not only elevates his prowess into the realm of trading cards but also guarantees fans authentic signatures and pieces of race-worn gear, uniquely tailored for each Topps release. While he had been part of Topps’ broader F1 series, this bespoke partnership allows Hamilton individual creative control over the card designs and ensures a slice of the profits supports charitable organizations close to his heart.
Last week, Lewis Hamilton stepped away from the racetrack and into the spotlight in a different setting, inaugurating the Fanatics Collectibles’ glittering new flagship store on Regent Street, London. In this glamorous setting, the world got its first glimpse of Hamilton’s one-of-a-kind Topps Chrome F1 card, etched with the heartfelt message “Forza Ferrari”—a nod to his new chapter with the legendary Italian racing team. Specially designed, red-parallel versions of this card exist in only five copies—a veritable treasure chest for collectors around the globe.
Topps might have snagged the F1 card and sticker rights amid the burgeoning collectible craze triggered by Netflix’s hit series “Drive to Survive” and a pandemic-fueled surge in interest. Since then, Topps’ F1 collectibles have achieved astronomical auction values, with Hamilton’s exclusive 2020 Chrome Superfractor crossing a cool million dollars in December 2024. Earlier, another of his exquisite cards—a 2020 Chrome Sapphire Padparadscha 1/1—commanded $740,000 in the autumn of the same year.
Reflecting on his passion for collecting, Hamilton spoke exclusively to The Athletic before jetting off to the Miami Grand Prix. “Trading Premier League stickers consumed all my pocket money as a kid,” he reminisced. “It was entwined with dreams, competition, and camaraderie. To think my own memorabilia now enables me to give back fills me with pride.”
For Hamilton, meeting his fans at the London event struck a personal chord. It wasn’t just a commercial venture, but a reunion of shared memories and aspirations. “There was a fan who’d bought one of my rare cards,” Hamilton chuckled warmly. “Sharing his journey from an F1 and Arsenal devotee to acquiring a piece of our shared history was humbling. It was a moment that tied everything together perfectly.”
When quizzed about his most treasured mementos, Hamilton didn’t hesitate. He listed his first yellow go-kart helmet, lovingly spray-painted by none other than his father, his first Monaco GP trophy, and the historic race suit from his debut—“The firsts hold more value than anything else,” he remarked fondly.
Away from the competitive thrust of the race circuit, Hamilton indulges in art collecting and restoring vintage cars, finding peace in those quieter pursuits. “Every evening lost in admiration of a young Black or African artist’s work, wine in hand, is a joy,” he said, embodying the calm away from the volcanic energy of racing. In one of his more eccentric autograph encounters, Hamilton was approached with a request to sign a diminutive pair of Japanese boxer shorts. “Bizarre, yet amusing—it was certainly a first!” he admitted with a smile.
But what of those just entering the racing stratosphere, those with cards soon to become must-haves? Hamilton has an eye for emerging talent, suggesting collectors keep tabs on Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, and Isack Hadjar. “Mark my words, Hadjar is one for the history books,” he reveals, leaving collectors grinning with the promise of what’s to come.
In a world zooming ahead faster than a pit crew tire change, Lewis Hamilton is certainly making rounds that extend beyond the tracks, creating a legacy as tangible and meaningful as the ink that endorses each card.
