Taylor with Ed Sheeran, Aaron Dessner, SZA, Halle Bailey, Karol G, Jon Batiste, Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, Jelly Roll, Jimmy Jam, and Gayle King at the 2024 GRAMMYS on February 4, 2024 (via Getty Images)
lewis hamilton talks iconic formula 1 drive down fifth avenue - 2024
(transcript under the cut)
Host: "Seven-time Formula 1 racing champion Lewis Hamilton doing what he does best on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. Check it out."
[clip of Lewis driving on Fifth Avenue]
Host: "Hamilton warmed up his car and the fans for Sunday's Miami Grand Prix with a few donuts outside the Empire State Building. The stunt promoted a partnership with Hamilton's Mercedes Formula 1 team and Whatsapp, highlighting the messaging app's rapid growth in the U.S.
Gayle sat down exclusively with the global superstar at the event."
Gayle King: "Okay. Lewis, you were just on Fifth Avenue. What did that mean to you? What did that feel like for you? It's a big deal for all the people watching, but…"
Lewis: "It's a huge, huge deal. I mean, I grew up watching movies-Trading Places and Coming To America-and dreaming of one day coming to New York, and I eventually came and visited this building with my mom wehn I was seventeen. I never looked down and thought, okay, one day I'm gonna drive a Formula 1 car up Fifth Avenue."
King: "I know!"
Lewis: "So just very, very surreal. And it was great to see also how much the people here in America have embraced our sport. We had a great turnout. The energy was awesome."
King: "Yes. Now, I was told that you were told not to do donuts…"
Lewis: [laughs]
King: "But then they said, but, Gayle, he's a racecar driver. How could he not do a donut?"
Lewis: [laughs] "I was told not to do donuts. I'd…"
King: [laughs] "And what did you do?"
Lewis: "I heard that the mayor had asked us not to do… But it was very short, and if I'd just driven up… Firstly, I don't have very good turning circle in this thing, so you can't do like an easy U-turn, so I had to do donuts. But also that just creates the spectacle and I think that gets people energized."
Host: "Now, you can watch Gayle's full behind the scenes interview on Monday, discussing Hamilton's future in and out of the sport."
Host #2: "Nice!"
Jay-Z reveals to Gayle King that Blue Ivy was originally going to be named Brooklyn:
“That was the name we had in theory, but when we got the sonogram, it was super small and we was calling her blueberry. Like, ‘Look at the little blueberry!’ It was a nickname. For nine months, we were like, ‘Look at the little blueberry,’ so it was natural. We just took the ‘berry’ off and called her Blue.”
gayle: it may be the last season with mercedes but i think you want it to be the best season with mercedes. true?
lewis: i do. and that’s probably the most painful part right now. (…) for me this whole journey has been massively emotional, just because i have so much love for this team.