Lewis Hamilton is an outstanding role model in many ways, not least for the way in which he looks after his body to be able to continue competing in Formula 1 despite approaching his 40th birthday.
One aspect of his regime is that he does not consume alcohol. But the Brit admits that he has not been teetotal his whole life, having decided to sample some delectable drinks while working behind a bar as a teenager.
Hamilton made the admission ahead of last weekend's Australian Grand Prix. Speaking to Fox Sports in Melbourne, the Mercedes racer said he has "never been into pubs" as a punter, but recalled his final shift working behind the bar at a boozer.
"I worked at one when I was 17. I was a bartender," he explained. "I think I was getting like £3.50 an hour or something ridiculous like that. It was minimum wage. It was a good experience – but the best part was when I quit.
"On the last day, I cleaned up the bar and I was like, 'what are these drinks that I've been giving everyone?' I tried everything and my dad had to come and pick me up! I was absolutely hammered. I tried a little bit of everything."
It's understandable that the hangover he might have had the following morning might have put him off booze for life. But Hamilton has always gone the extra mile to keep himself at the peak of his powers for his career in F1 and, a few years ago, switched over to a plant-based diet.
"It is just about changing your mind," he told the New York Times of the change in 2019. "We're taught all these things from a young age about what you should and should not eat. I think it's about educating yourself and being open to it. It's something I really wanted to do.
"For sure, it hasn't been easy to learn new things and new ways, but I've felt so good for the last year and a half. It's been such a great decision." He was helped by his now former physiotherapist Angela Cullen to get a better understanding of nutrition and began to look at food as fuel.
He added: "I’m looking at what I eat as fuel now as an athlete, rather than just eating because I'm hungry. I'm constantly working with Angela, who is with me all the time. We're looking at ingredients of different things that I'm eating.
