Formula 1 fan and musician Ed Sheeran has been in Miami ahead of Sunday’s grand prix in the United States, where Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton is after a first podium of the season

Ed Sheeran overlooked Lewis Hamilton when asked to name his favourite Formula 1 drivers, but did give a shout-out to the multiple world champion’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell.

Sheeran, 33, has been in Miami to take in the sixth grand prix of the 2024 season. Hamilton, a seven-time winner of the drivers’ title, is still in search of a first podium finish of the year as he looks to go out on a high note before trading Mercedes for Ferrari.

Hamilton finished third in the drivers’ standings in 2023, but sits behind team-mate Russell in the overall classification this term. Both are some way adrift of reigning champion Max Verstappen, who has won four out of five races this time around.

Sheeran and Hamilton have encountered one another in the past, facing off in a race on The Jonathan Ross Show back in 2014. When it came to the musician’s current favourites, though, there was no room for the veteran.

“I’m just about to do the hot lap with George Russell, which will be fun,” Sheeran told Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz when asked which drivers he was fond of. “I met Verstappen last time, who was lovely, I’m meeting [Charles] Leclerc later, and it’s good.

Sheeran did appear to get on just fine with Hamilton back in 2014, though. The pair took part in a ‘Crazy Carts’ drive-off in the studio during Ross’ chat show, with both in fits of laughter as they tried to navigate their way around a makeshift circuit.

Hamilton will hope things are a little less chaotic in Miami on Sunday. He finished sixth in both previous editions of the race, and a repeat would represent his best result of the season so far amid a challenging first few weeks for both him and team-mate Russell.

Lewis Hamilton is looking to kick-start his season in Miami ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

As well as being a Formula 1 fan, Sheeran is a supporter of Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys face a crucial final day of the Championship season, with a point needed to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League, and Kravitz also asked the singer about his football fandom.

“I’ve signed on to sponsor them next season and I’m, like, if they get into the prem it’s not going to pay for itself,” he joked when explaining his decision to play two shows in Miami. “I don’t want to do play-offs, because what’s going to happen is we’ll get to the end of the play-offs and it’ll be Ipswich-Norwich and Norwich will knock us out.

“It is a shame to miss the game but I’ve just bumped into a load of Ipswich fans here so we’re all going to meet up and watch it together. Tractor Boys on tour.”