Kim Kardashian's First Grand Prix Goes Viral for All the Wrong Reasons

Her first Formula 1 weekend was always going to attract cameras — just not quite like this. Kim Kardashian left the Monaco Grand Prix as the most talked-about person in the paddock, and very little of the conversation was about her boyfriend Lewis Hamilton's podium finish.

The 45-year-old attended Sunday's race as an official guest of Ferrari, joined by sister Khloé, watching Hamilton take second place behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who claimed a remarkable fifth consecutive victory. But it was what happened by the podium that set social media alight: footage showed Kardashian lifting a neatly folded white towel laid out beside the number-one marker for the race winner, using it to wipe her face and sunglasses, then strolling off with it. The clip racked up millions of views within hours, with the angriest fans calling for her to be banned from the paddock — though others insisted it looked like nothing more than an innocent mix-up.

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Then There Was the Brundle Moment

The towel was not even her first misstep of the day. Before the race, veteran Sky Sports broadcaster Martin Brundle approached her during his famous grid walk, only to be met with silence as her security team appeared to box him out. The awkward exchange went viral almost instantly, earning Kardashian a place on the long and much-dissected list of celebrity grid-walk snubs — though few involve a figure as universally respected in the sport as Brundle.

A Big Weekend for Hamilton

Lost somewhat in the noise was the fact that this was one of Hamilton's strongest weekends in red. The seven-time world champion came through a tense late restart against Antonelli — the man who replaced him at Mercedes — to secure second place, leapfrogging George Russell in the standings and establishing himself as the young Italian's closest title challenger. On the podium, he blew a kiss towards Kardashian and aimed his champagne spray at her enclosure below.

It was the first race she has attended since the couple went public earlier this year, and Hamilton spoke openly about the relationship for the first time afterwards, telling reporters how much her constant support means to him. By that measure, at least, the weekend was a triumph.

The circus now rolls on to the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona on 14 June, in a season delivering no shortage of star-studded spectacle. If Kardashian makes the trip, Antonelli's mechanics might be wise to lay out a spare towel.