It might not seem like a race car driver and a visual artist would have loads in common, but Lewis Hamilton, Seven-Time World Champion driver for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, and Louis-Nicolas Darbon, a London-based painter, had plenty to bond over when they met in Banbury, United Kingdom in November, shortly before the 2021 F1 season came to a close.

Lewis is known for many things: his status as one of the best Formula One drivers to ever grace the track, his attention-grabbing style, his social and environmental activism, and his beloved dog, Roscoe. What fans may not know is that he is also an avid art fan. Meanwhile, Louis-Nicolas has built a successful career as a visual artist and his bold paintings have appeared at exhibits in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Marrakech and other cities around the world. He’s also a luxury car enthusiast and long-time Formula One fan. 

As part of Louis-Nicolas’s new role as The Ritz-Carlton artist partner, he was commissioned to create an original piece of artwork inspired by Lewis. The Ritz-Carlton, the official hotel partner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, brought the two talents together to unveil the portrait. In the video above, watch Lewis and Louis-Nicolas’s candid conversation about the role creativity plays in their lives.