Lewis Hamilton is set to go head-to-head with Idris Elba in a gruelling rally in Saudi Arabia as part of a new Channel 4 show.
Titled ‘Idris and Hamilton Race The Desert’, the show will see the Luther actor and Mercedes driver compete in the 8,500 kilometre Dakar Rally for two two-hour episodes.
The pair are thought to be good friends, with Hamilton having to self-isolate in 2020 after he caught Covid following a meeting with Elba at a charity event.
With lockdown and the pandemic in the past, the pair are back together for the race in 4×4 off-road vehicles.
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“Idris is a self-confessed speed freak and was determined to make this a tough race for Lewis,” a TV insider claimed, according to The Sun.
“The course is one of the toughest in sport, with the rough terrain a constant hazard for drivers.
“But that didn’t put either Idris or Lewis off as they were desperate to out-do each other, and their rivalry was captured brilliantly on camera.”
Hamilton’s increased interest in off-track activities comes amid ongoing negotiations with Mercedes over his future in the sport.
The seven-time world champion’s contract with the team expires at the end of the season, with the Silver Arrows keen to retain him.
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However, the challenges faced by Mercedes since the slate of new regulations came into effect at the start of the 2022 season has left questions over whether Hamilton will seek a new team or even leave the sport all together.
With three races under his belt this season, Hamilton managed to secure the first podium of the year for Mercedes, finishing in P2 in Australia.
Suggestions have been raised that he might jump to Ferrari if an opening emerged but Hamilton has been open that he sees Mercedes as his family and where he’ll end his career.