Lewis Hamilton has completely wiped his Instagram feed ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion has unfollowed all accounts he was previously subscribed to, including Ferrari and even his beloved dog, Roscoe.
This digital detox comes as the 40-year-old faces a challenging start to his maiden campaign with Ferrari.
The legendary F1 star has received increasing criticism from some fans and pundits, which may have influenced his decision.
Lewis Hamilton has removed everyone he followed on Instagram PAThis is not Hamilton's first social media blackout, having previously gone dark after losing the 2021 Drivers' Championship to Max Verstappen in controversial circumstances.
Hamilton's previous social media absence lasted for a couple of months after the Abu Dhabi controversy, which saw him denied a record eighth title.
He eventually returned to Instagram with a fresh post.
Unlike in 2021, his motivations for this current Instagram blackout remain unclear.
Many F1 drivers struggle with the toxic environment that social media can present.
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Despite this, sponsorship obligations and team media duties mean that drivers can never truly disconnect from these platforms.
Some drivers choose to outsource their accounts to companies rather than engage directly with social media.
Hamilton's digital detox might also be linked with a drive to improve his performance on track.
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Lewis Hamilton has struggled so far at Ferrari
Reuters
Hamilton has previously opened up about his struggles with social media, with the F1 icon confessing that too much time on platforms can give him anxiety.
At the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix, he revealed: "You know, you don't see me on social media a huge amount because there are anxieties that I have. I have never spoken about it, but I've had to do a lot of work in the back."
The Stevenage-born racer explained his coping mechanisms: "Whether it's working through therapy, whether it's taking on, like, finding different outlets, whether it's reading more, whether it's doing meditation, whether it's trying to pull in more tools to my arsenal so that I can deal with the challenges that I'm facing."
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Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden employed a similar tactic ahead of the 2024 season, even unfollowing his wife on Instagram.
Hamilton continues to navigate the challenging adaptation process since his move from Brackley to Maranello.
He currently trails team-mate Charles Leclerc by 12 points heading into the Emilia Romagna GP.
Lewis Hamilton is looking to regain form at Ferrari's home race this weekend
Reuters
This is despite claiming a sprint race victory in Shanghai earlier in the campaign.
Hamilton has acknowledged these difficulties, saying: "I mean, when I joined Mercedes, the first six months were tough getting attuned to working with new people."
He elaborated on the current challenge: "Obviously, the engineers I'm working with now are used to setting up a car for a different driver and a different driving style, and I'm used to driving a car with a different driving style."
Hamilton will return to action at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend with pressure rising given it's Ferrari's home race. Whether he can produce a performance to remember, and secure his first pole in his new surroundings, remains to be seen.
