Kim Kardashian has been caught red-handed trying to 'steal' the race winner's towel intended for Monaco Grand Prix victor Kimi Antonelli, with the clip going viral online.
Kim and her sister Khloé arrived by boat in Monaco on Friday, wearing co-ordinating outfits to support her partner Lewis Hamilton, who she has been dating since February. Hamilton had a weekend to remember in Monaco, with the seven-time world champion crossing the line second behind Kimi Antonelli, who secured his fifth consecutive victory and stretched his championship lead to 66 points.
Hamilton capitalised on George Russell's disastrous weekend to move ahead of his fellow Brit into second on the driver's standings. Yet his partner, Kim, was making as many headlines as him.
First, Kim was slammed as "rude" for ignoring F1 icon Martin Brundle ahead of the race. She then stirred up more uproar post-race as a video of her 'stealing' Antonelli's winner's towel to wipe her face went viral.
Just moments before the podium ceremony, Kardashian was seen grabbing the towel reserved for race winner Antonelli and using it to cool herself down. These towels are provided to the top three drivers to cool off. They are also special limited-edition or one-of-a-kind items often featuring collaborations with luxury lifestyle or streetwear brands.
While some saw the interaction as playful and humorous, the F1 world was unimpressed.
"Imagine getting your first Monaco podium and immediately losing your towel to Kim Kardashian," one commented on the viral video shared on X captioned 'Kim Kardashian taking the towel meant for Kimi Antonelli after the race in Monaco and wiping her head with it'.
"Nobody aside from the teams should be allowed near the driver's stuff! Doesn't matter who they are, the drivers deserve their space," another said.
"It was never just about a towel. It's about a growing feeling that some celebrity guests treat the paddock and podium like a VIP lounge. The spotlight should be on the people who earned the moment, not the guests who were invited to watch it," a third added.
"This is just embarrassing. Who the hell does she think she is," a fourth wrote. "She should be banned from future races," a fifth said.
Hamilton thanks Kim in post-race interview
Hamilton was beaming at having the American star at the circuit post-race as he thanked her for supporting him over the weekend. As the Ferrari driver stood on the second-place podium he blew a kiss in her direction down below.
He then expressed his appreciation for both her and his supporters who turned out for him, adding that having good people in his corner makes a huge difference.
"It's amazing to have her come this weekend and have the support," Hamilton stated in Sunday's press conference. "But, with my friends, incredible turnout, just overall, the people. I don't really know what else to say. It's amazing to have good people around you and good people supporting you. She does that for me every day."
