Lewis Hamilton Had To Turn Down A Role In Top Gun Maverick Because Of F1

7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has recently revealed that he could’ve been part of Tom Cruise’s mega-hit Top Gun Maverick had it not been for his F1 commitments. Hamilton who has built a friendship with Tom Cruise would’ve been part of the sequel to the 1986 mega-hit which was released after a 2-year delay because of the pandemic.

"When I heard the second one was coming out, I was like, 'Oh my God, I have to ask him. I said, 'I don't care what role it is. I'll even sweep something, be a cleaner in the back,” Hamilton told Vanity Fair magazine.

He revealed that he had to pull out of the role as the filming clashed with the F1 season. In the broad-ranging interview, Hamilton also revealed how he coped with the last lap heartbreak at Abu Dhabi last year when he lost the world championship to Max Verstappen in a controversial decision taken by the former FIA race director Michael Masi who was eventually ousted from his position.

Had Hamilton won, he would’ve become the first F1 driver to win 8 world championships. In fact, at the end of the race, Star Wars creator George Lucas was seen consoling the Briton.

Currently, p6 in the 2022 championship, Hamilton is yet to win a race this year. Though he is still thinking about extending his F1 career as a contract with Mercedes runs out at the end of 2023.

"I'll be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about extending," he said.

"I'm still on the mission, I'm still loving driving, I'm still being challenged by it. So I don't really feel like I have to give it up any time soon,” he said.