We didn't realize at the time this was originally posted that the woman in the car with Hamilton is a Mercedes PR person. We apologize for the oversight. Enjoy the video as it's still fun to watch.
Before the final Formula 1 race weekend in Malaysia got into full swing, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton took a lucky fan out for a drive on the Sepang International Circuit. Since two people don't typically fit in a Formula 1 car, Mercedes had a car on hand that would get the job done right.
Hamilton took one his fans for a hot lap of the track in the Mercedes AMG GT S, which is what F1 uses for its safety car. The car's 515 horsepower and a top speed of 190 miles per hour are more than enough to make the trip around the track a quick but memorable one.
The lucky fan also fancies herself to be an intrepid cub reporter, as she tries to ask Hamilton some questions as he thrashes the car around the track. She begins with asking him how he gets a lap around Sepang done, to which Hamilton replies: "It's like a Sunday drive," as the hit the braking zone for Turn One at the end of the main straight. It doesn't look like she quite prepared for the deceleration of the car as Hamilton hit the brakes.
She does ask him some good questions during the lap, and does her best to keep her composure while trying brace herself into the seat. In the most proper-sounding British way, every time she gets surprised by a direction change or Hamilton drifting the car through a corner, the only thing she can say is "You're a bad boy."
Hamilton ends the lap with a few doughnuts once they are back on the main straight, which leaves our fan quite literally shaking at the knees.
Maybe Formula 1 will do more of this sort of thing in the future. It would be great to see a fan at each race get to ride along with their favorite driver for a hot lap.