Lewis Hamilton has unfollowed everyone on his Instagram account, including his new team Ferrari and even his dog, Rocco.
It is the latest social media detox that the Formula One star has undertaken, with the 40-year-old Stevenage-born racing driver having previously unfollowed everyone on his account back in 2021.
It came after the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale, after Hamilton was beaten to the Formula One world championship by Max Verstappen on the final lap of the race.
It is not understood why Hamilton has opted to remove all his followers this week, with eagle-eyed petrolheads noticing the subtle change in his social media activity.
The former Mercedes driver has a whopping 39.5million followers on the social media platform, making him by far the most popular driver on the Formula One Circuit, with Verstappen boasting 14.2m followers, while Lando Norris has 9.9m.
The seven-time world champion had followed less than ten other accounts before, having sent social media users into meltdown at the start of this year, by following his new team Ferrari on Instagram.
Lewis Hamilton has surprised fans by unfollowing everyone, including his dog, Rocco, on Instagram
Hamilton, who also unfollowed Ferrari, has published several snaps of himself looking shredded while he works out in the gym
The 40-year-old racing driver also appeared at the MET Gala earlier this month, sporting a suave white suit with a white beret
An X account, @FiaGirly had revealed that as of January 1, Hamilton had been following six accounts, including his foundation, Mission 44, which strives to help provide young people with opportunities.
Hamilton had also unfollowed his clothing brand +44 as well as his non-alcoholic drinks brand ALMAVE.
Roscoe, his dog, also has 1.2m followers on Instagram, but is now one less, with Hamilton having unfollowed his pooch too.
The Brits’ first season with the Scuderia has not been plain sailing so far.
Despite the follower detox, he has still continued to post on Instagram with the Formula One star showcasing his ripped physique on Tuesday,
Hamilton is currently seventh in the Driver’s Championship and has not secured a podium place so far this season – with his fifth-placed finish in Bahrain being his best result so far. Despite that, he has enjoyed some success in this year’s sprint races, including securing a victory in China.
But the 40-year-old driver is now coming under a bit of pressure having finished eighth in his last outing in Miami.
In April, he had appeared to claim that one element on his Ferrari car had been ‘underperforming’ compared to that of his team-mate’s Charles Leclerc.
Several some eagle-eyed Formula One fans had noticed earlier this year that Hamilton had followed Ferrari ahead of the beginning of the season
The former Mercedes driver has endured a difficult start to life with Ferrari and has failed to secure a podium finish after the opening six races
‘We found something on the car that was underperforming for the last three races, so I am hoping when that is fixed that I will start getting better results. I’m losing just over a tenth a lap with this issue we have. I’m hoping by the next race it’s fixed,’ Hamilton told Sky Sports.
In Florida last weekend, Hamilton had also been at the centre of a controversial moment with his team. He had asked to be let past Leclerc to attack Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes.
But the pit lane had not responded to his request quickly enough, with Hamilton issuing a spikey response over the radio, saying: ‘Take a tea break while you’re at it.’
He later explained: ‘I’ve still got my fire in my belly. I could feel a bit of it really coming up there.
‘I’m not going to apologise for being a fighter. I’m not going to apologise for still wanting it. I know everyone in the team does, too.
‘I didn’t think the decision came quickly enough. And for sure, in that time you’re like, ‘Come on!’ But that’s really kind of it.
‘I have no problems with the team or with Charles. I think we could do better. But the car is not where we really need to be. Ultimately, we’re fighting for seventh and eighth.’
Team principal Fred Vasseur said after the race that he understood Hamilton’s frustrations and had spoken to the driver following the race.
‘I had a discussion with Lewis, and I can perfectly understand the frustration,’ Vasseur told reporters.
‘They are champions, they want to win races. We are asking them to let their team-mate go. It’s not easy.
‘It’s never easy, and I didn’t see another team do it, but it’s why we took the responsibility to do it because it’s the policy for the team.
‘We are racing for Ferrari first, and honestly, I think as a team, we did a good job.’