Explained: Why Lewis Hamilton has been facing fan backlash for his association with Perplexity

Lewis Hamilton joined hands with AI search engine Perplexity in May of 2025, but this move has often led to the Briton receiving backlash from the F1 fanbase. This bashing by the fans has left a fraction of the F1 sphere wondering what has caused people to suddenly condemn the Briton's actions, while he is one of the most likable drivers on the grid.

Perplexity was founded in 2022, and its operations have increased multiple-fold since then. With the search engine becoming a household name in the AI industry, it decided to capitalize on this moment and fostered a collaboration with Hamilton.

The seven-time champion is one of the most marketable drivers on the grid, owing to his presence in spheres in sectors apart from F1, where he is an icon and has a considerable impact on others.

Despite the power that he seemingly holds, the 40-year-old has often used his platform to send a strong message to the people, for a better tomorrow. That's where the recent backlash has seemingly arisen from.

Hamilton has often voiced his concerns in the F1 sphere regarding environmental deterioration that the planet is currently facing and used his platform to advocate for a sustainable future.

But his recent collaboration with Perplexity has, on the face of it, led a fraction of the F1 fanbase to decipher it as hypocritical. Fans noted how AI search engines use intensive resources to cater to user queries, and they have a substantial impact on the environment.

Even the United Nations Environment Programme has acknowledged the downsides of AI and how it has a major carbon footprint. Moreover, other aspects like the electrical waste produced, the humongous water consumption, and the skyrocketing energy demands have led people to take a cautious approach with AI search engines.

So, this has led netizens to interpret Lewis Hamilton's partnership with Perplexity as two-faced, leading to him being battered by fans over social media.

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Lewis Hamilton asserts 2025 is a foundation-building year for him at Ferrari

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton ahead of the 2025 F1 Grand Prix of Brazil race weekend - Source: Getty

Lewis Hamilton switched from Mercedes to Ferrari on a long-term contract with the Scuderia in 2025. People had amassed massive expectations as F1's greatest driver and team statistically joined hands.

However, his debut season with the team has seen him go 20 race weekends without a podium in the Grand Prix format, and he has been at a considerable deficit to Charles Leclerc's pace for a fair chunk of the year.

While this has attracted some people to raise their eyebrows about the future of this partnership, Lewis Hamilton has asserted 2025 to be a foundation-building year for him, as he said on the media day:

"It's been a challenging year, but it was to be expected from me, to be honest. I'm joining a new team, a new culture, and I'm well aware that progress takes time. So it's been a year of foundation building. Maybe it's been harder this year to build that foundation... but I do feel like we're progressing and I feel like I'm getting to a place now where I'm well placed for next year, and that's more important." "We're not fighting for a championship now. So apart from right now, our job is to try and get the best results to win, to do the best in the Constructors' Championship. The driver's position, no one cares really. I don't care really about fifth or sixth or anything like that. It's more about trying to keep the constructors' title, second place for the team."

Lewis Hamilton has contributed 146 points to Ferrari's points total in comparison to Leclerc's 210 points.

Edited by Geetansh Pasricha