Fanatics Collectibles has signed a multi-year partnership with seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who began the new season with Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes.
The deal covers both memorabilia and trading cards, and includes an exclusive autograph deal, allowing for Hamilton signatures and race-worn items to be a part of his cards produced by Topps, which is owned by Fanatics. This individual deal is a new one, as Hamilton was previously included in Topps’ trading cards through the brand’s F1 rights.
This past Friday, Hamilton appeared at the grand opening of Fanatics Collectibles London Flagship Store on Regent Street. There he signed his first Topps Chrome F1 one-of-one card featuring him in a Ferrari race suit (pictured below), along with a “Forza Ferrari” inscription and autograph on a red parallel of the card limited to just five in existence.
Topps has held the Formula 1 trading card and sticker license since 2020, capitalizing on the sport’s global surge in popularity following the 2019 debut of Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries. This also coincided with the pandemic trading card boom that drove up values across all categories. As a result, there have been at least eight sales of Topps F1 cards for more than $100,000, including the Dec. 2024 sale of Hamilton’s one-of-a-kind 2020 Topps Chrome F1 autographed Superfractor for more than $1 million. Hamilton cards make up each of the top three publicly known F1 card sales to date, with the other two being his 2020 Topps Chrome F1 (non-autographed) Superfractor, which sold for $900,000 in May 2022 and his 2020 Topps Chrome F1 Sapphire Edition Padparadscha 1/1 card for $740,000 in Sept. 2022.
Before jetting off to Florida for the Miami Grand Prix, Hamilton spoke exclusively with The Athletic about the new deal, what he collects, and the young drivers card collectors should chase.
What made you want to sign exclusively for Fanatics?
Well, I remember I met with (Fanatics CEO Michael) Rubin, and I love his enthusiasm. It was really interesting to learn from him about the business, to see (how its) grown. As a kid, I remember collecting Premier League stickers, and I remember swapping them through junior school, even into high school.
And I remember just how important it was because always every little bit of change I would get, I would go down and get these little packs and we were (trading) them to be able to fill out those sticker books.
And when I got into Formula 1, I never thought there would be a memorabilia card of mine. But I have also always been really keen on holding on to my memorabilia, for one day to be able to utilize and to raise money for charity because it’s so personal.
It’s just been incredible to see people around the world just collecting these cards. Obviously, I saw baseball cards over the years, and it’s only the last few years that our sport have finally gotten into it.
And I wanted to get involved, as it brings people together. As you see today, sheesh there’s a lot of memorabilia collectors in for our sport that’s super passionate. Those guys are the most passionate because they’re going to all ends to try and find these cards.
How was it meeting collectors today and what do you think about the Fanatics Collectibles store?
It was really personal to see, to meet some of these collectors. Particularly the guy that has one of my one-of-one cards. And he was telling me the story of how he grew up watching Formula 1, and Arsenal and me. It was basically what he was into. So it was kind of surreal because I was like, dude, you look the same age as me. But I thought that was really cool. And we got to open up some of the boxes. It’s been amazing to see the brand and how it’s grown and how strategic they’ve been in terms of pulling all the sports together under one umbrella so it’s not so tacky, like, being done by so many different companies. And just executed so well. I mean, this store is huge.
And the crowd; I came today, I wasn’t expecting 10 people. I was expecting a lot of people. And it’s been incredible to see front and back just how many people have turned up and it’s going to be really interesting. And now I have a place actually that I can come and get my collectibles, which is really cool.
Hamilton (center) checks out a display case at the new Fanatics Collectibles London Flagship Store with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin (left) and president of trading cards David Leiner (right).
Which items have you kept from your career and cherish the most?
There’s been too many. There’s my first go-kart helmet, my first yellow helmet, which my dad painted. That one is probably the most special I would say. Because I remember choosing it, going down to B&Q (hardware store) and coming back with him and him spraying it.
My first Monaco Grand Prix trophy, my first race suit. Those things. The first, the first, the first of anything. Same as the cards, the one-of-ones.
Today I have lots of suits and we go through them. We go through many through the year. But, back then, I only had one for I don’t know, God knows how many years. And so those ones are particularly special.
How does it feel to be the first F1 driver to have a trading card sell for $1 million?
I mean, it’s pretty crazy. I’ve never thought that would ever be the case. The story of it, where the kid had bought it through a pack, the difference that purchase would have made to him and his family would have been huge. I can only imagine these things are just going to continue to go up now, especially with the store opening.
I know there’s another big launch of another league coming up and just the growth of the business. It’s got me really hooked. I was opening up those boxes just now, and I was like, I need to get myself some more of these boxes. Actually, I didn’t even take my Ayrton Senna one, damn it.
Which young driver would you collect cards of?
Naturally, Kimi (Antonelli). (Oliver) Bearman. Isack Hadjar is probably my favorite, he’s really cool.
What do you collect outside of memorabilia?
So I was originally into cars. Now I’m heavy into art.
I really, really love art. I love going to galleries. I just love the experience of it. But, car wise, of course I love vintage cars still, but I never ever drive and never have time to go and drive. But to actually sit at home with a glass of wine and admire a piece of art. I got home two days ago, and I just remember walking in. The first thing I did, I dropped my bag, went to this room, and just sat and just looked at this painting that I’ve managed to get and I just can’t believe that I got this painting. But, that’s my favorite thing to invest in. I really, really love to buy young up-and-coming black artists as well, and African art. There’s just so much to learn in that world. That’s what I spend most of my time searching online for.
What’s the weirdest item that you’ve been asked to sign?
I would say probably the strangest thing was a pair of Japanese boxer shorts. And they were really tiny. They were really small. I didn’t know if they were women’s hot pants or what. I was like, where do you want me to sign these? “Just across the butt,” they said.
I was like, ‘this is so weird,’ but I signed them anyways. The guy was enthusiastic. So I just imagine him dancing in his wardrobe in them. (Laughs)
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.
(All images: Fanatics)