Overview
- A clip from Lewis Hamilton’s 2023 interview with Jay Shetty, in which he said people “shouldn’t be able to have billions,” resurfaced online over the weekend and has been viewed more than 20 million times, driving a surge of social media reaction.
- The clip reappeared as Kim Kardashian, whose net worth is widely reported near $1.9 billion, attended the Monaco Grand Prix to watch Hamilton, and critics highlighted the pairing to call his remarks inconsistent.
- Reports note Hamilton is very wealthy but not a billionaire, with recent estimates in the hundreds of millions and large annual earnings from racing and endorsements, and he has not issued a new public statement addressing the resurfaced comments.
- Coverage has focused on Hamilton’s long‑standing tax residency outside the U.K. — moves to Switzerland and then Monaco — and past reporting about a 2013 jet VAT arrangement, which critics cite when accusing him of hypocrisy.
- Media outlets and commentators have split in tone with some framing the episode as clear hypocrisy and others defending his right to criticize inequality, and the episode highlights how social clips can quickly reshape public debate about wealth and public figures.