Soon to be ex-McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton still has an obligation to the team’s sponsors through the end of the year, and one of those sponsors happens to be whiskey distiller Johnnie Walker. While in Singapore for last month’s grand prix race, Hamilton spent some time with Johnnie Walker employees and guests, in an effort to promote the company’s anti-drunk driving campaign.
Called “Join The Pact – Never Drink And Drive,” the campaign asks fans to “sign” a pledge against drunk driving on Facebook. Giving Hamilton a bit more latitude, he was asked to sign his name using a most unusual writing instrument – a McLaren MP4-12C. One lucky fan got to ride along as Hamilton worked on his drift skills, but the end result really didn’t look much like a signature to us. On the other hand, we’re pretty sure that Hamilton is faster around a road course than either Tanner Foust or Travis Pastrana.
We doubt that the Johnnie Walker sponsorship will follow Hamilton to Mercedes, which is kind of a shame. We’d pay money to see Hamilton sign his name in a mud pit using a Mercedes-Benz Unimog, or on a snow-covered frozen lake with an SLS AMG.
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Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
