Brits on Pole

The Lewis Hamilton gift and present guide

A title challenger almost every year since he arrived in F1, and world champion in 2008 – it’s fair to say no-one has hit Formula One with quite the same impact as Lewis Hamilton for years.

His years of development within Vodafone McLaren Mercedes mean that not only the team’s cars, but also its commercial strategy, have centred around him. Which means there’s plenty to choose from if you’re looking for a gift or present for a fan.

That’s true whether they’re young or, er, less young, or whether you’re shopping for the perfect gift for an armchair fan, or for someone who wants to get out there and have a go themselves.

Gifts and presents range from the obvious t-shirts, caps and books to slightly more unusual items like original race programmes, team water bottles, copies of McLaren nose cones and steering wheels, or kids’ replica racing suits.

Here’s our guide to what’s on offer, where you can find it, and how much it will cost you.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes eShop

Unsurprisingly, the official online store of Hamilton’s team has the widest selection of gear, souvenirs and collectibles.

This includes the Rocket Red or black shirts, caps and jackets that you’ll have seen during TV coverage of the races – and the post race celebrations – but there’s more than that, including a wonderful range of lavish full-colour posters from every race this season.

Plus, if your bank balance can take the strain, there’s the ‘McLaren Lifestyle‘ collection clothing, footwear, jewellery and watches.

Other retailers

Some retailers have whole sections dedicated to Lewis Hamilton or McLaren merchandise, so if you’re looking for a good general browse try the following:

• OnPole.com is a great destination if you want to get your hands on Lewis Hamilton-themed books and models as well as the more usual merchandise. Have a look at its dedicated Vodafone McLaren Mercedes products section.
• The Mini Model Shop has a huge range of collectible diecast models – pretty much anything you can imagine with wheels or wings. Currently it has a 10-strong range of Hamilton’s cars here.

Here are some suggestions for different categories of gift:

Lewis and McLaren team gear

A wide variety of Hamilton gear is available, much of it in the iconic Rocket Red and silver or black team colours. That’s not all there is on offer, though, and there are caps, tshirts and jackets to suit all tastes.

Hamilton’s F1 cars

From the 2007 car that nearly won the championship, to the the 2008 car that did, to the dog of a 2009 car, to the race-winners of the last two years, Hamilton’s cars may have looked similar – but they performed very differently. You can buy replicas in a variety of scales, as well as copies of the nose cone or steering wheel. Products on offer range from diecasts at under £20 to the £2000+ monsters offered by the official team shop.

Memorabilia and collectibles

Framed and signed prints, newspaper collections, replica race helmets – the choice of items is wide.

Toys for the young – and not-so-young

Go on, have some fun…

Gadgets, gizmos and other good stuff

You’d be surprised what’s out there – all sorts of keyrings, yes, but also a range of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes running and fitness shoes, books, presentation car parts, and even team-label belts.

Race day

It’s race day and you’re wondering what to take with you. Try these: lanyard for your tickets, earplugs (trust us, you’ll need them), bag for your lunch and water bottle – oh and an umbrella, of course. Sorted.