Lewis Hamilton Defends Kim Kardashian: F1 Star Slams 'Kardashian Curse' After Shocking Loss

Lewis Hamilton has privately defended Kim Kardashian after finishing sixth at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka on 29 March, with sources saying the Formula One star is pushing back against claims that a so‑called 'Kardashian curse' is to blame for his worst result of the season.

Hamilton's uncharacteristic finish in Japan followed far stronger early‑season form. The seven‑time world champion had opened his 2026 campaign with a fourth place in Australia and third in China, results that suggested he was edging back towards the front after a difficult 2025. His slip to sixth behind race winner Kimi Antonelli in Tokyo has now collided with growing public fascination over his new relationship with Kardashian — and a long‑running internet theory that men who date into the Kardashian‑Jenner clan see their careers unravel.

According to the Mirror and the National Enquirer, people close to Hamilton say some of his inner circle are muttering that his romance with the Skims founder has 'knocked him off his game.' The British driver himself is said to blame a tactical misjudgement that allowed several rivals to pass him during the race, rather than anything happening off track.

One unnamed insider, quoted by both outlets, said Kardashian was in Tokyo with Hamilton and her three youngest children — Saint, 10, Chicago, 8, and Psalm, 6 — in the days before the race, but had deliberately chosen not to attend Sunday's grand prix.

'Kim was not actually at the race but she was in Tokyo with him the week before so she's getting dragged into this,' the source said. 'She skipped the race because she didn't want to get blamed if he didn't win, but somehow people are still pointing the finger at her, which feels pretty unfair, but naturally it's getting in his head.'

'Kardashian Curse' Talk Follows Lewis Hamilton To Suzuka

The phrase 'Kardashian curse' has floated around social media for years, wrapped in half‑joke, half‑accusation, and usually aimed at the family's male partners. Fans point to figures such as Scott Disick, Kanye West and Lamar Odom as supposed proof that professional or personal turmoil follows the clan's relationships.

In Hamilton's case, there is no hard evidence that his relationship with Kardashian has affected his driving. What there is, instead, is a messy mix of form, pressure and superstition that elite athletes often try to shut out but rarely can ignore entirely.

The same insider suggested that the chatter has become a factor in Hamilton's mental landscape.

'He's used to being on the podium so to come in sixth is a huge shock,' they said. 'No doubt he's reeling over it, and having everyone tell him Kim is to blame doesn't exactly help the relationship.'

The source insisted Hamilton is refusing to scapegoat Kardashian. 'He's not the type to pass the buck and he's sticking up for her, but it's still a lot of noise to deal with when he's trying to stay focused and get back on form.'

Performance Pressure And The 'Curse' Narrative

It would be absurd to describe sixth place as a collapse. As the Enquirer notes, Hamilton spent much of last year finishing as low as 12th or failing to see the chequered flag at all. By that measure, his 2026 start — third, fourth, then sixth — looks more like a modest rebound than a disaster.

Yet for a driver who has built a career on normalising the extraordinary, anything short of the podium is quickly cast as decline. When you add the Kardashian name to that mix, nuance tends to vanish.

A second source quoted by the Enquirer claimed the swirl of commentary is now adding 'extra pressure' on Hamilton as he prepares for the next race.

'There's a real sense now that he needs to shut all of that out and prove it has nothing to do with what's going on in his personal life,' the source said. 'He knows the only way to silence it is to perform, so there's added pressure on him going into the next race to deliver and remind everyone exactly what he's capable of.'

Kardashian, however, has addressed the broader idea before. Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast in October, she said it was a 'red flag' when men bought into the idea of a curse surrounding her family, calling the narrative 'unfair' and arguing that people were too quick to absolve men of responsibility.

'Someone who doesn't take accountability is my biggest pet peeve,' she told host Alex Cooper, adding that her critics 'just don't want to put the accountability on the men.'

That attitude, at least as described by those close to Hamilton, appears to overlap with his. He is said to be 'sticking up for her' while trying to keep his head clear. Whether he manages to turn down the volume on the noise around his private life will be visible not in a press statement but on the timing screens when the lights go out at the next grand prix.