Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton "has a tendency" to frustrate his team's sponsors by "promoting or wearing rival brands," according to Rob Harris of the AP. Hamilton does not "like to play by the rules -- especially when it comes to clothing." But when Puma and clothing supplier Hugo Boss "are paying to sponsor F1's dominant team, they expect star drivers to be wearing their products." Mercedes Dir of Legal & Commercial Affairs Caroline McGrory said, "It's constantly monitored. I always have to send stroppy messages on race weekends telling Lewis to stop wearing his bright yellow Louis Vuitton trainers when he should be wearing his Puma trainers." McGrory also receives communications from Hugo Boss when Hamilton "turns up at fashion shows for competing brands." Hamilton was pictured last year at an Alexander McQueen show in London, tweeted an image from a John Elliott show at New York Fashion Week and wrote an article for the BBC which promoted Stella McCartney, Valentino and Chanel "but made no mention of Hugo Boss." McGrory: "We get a phone call from Hugo Boss saying, 'Why is Lewis at an Alexander McQueen show?' He's doing that in his personal time. Actually he's allowed to do that. But it's a fine line, because then we have to phone Lewis up and say, 'Actually can you please not tweet so much about all these other fashion designers. Just say something nice about Hugo Boss now and then.'" Drivers do not "like the fact they receive no additional cash from team sponsorships." McGrory said, "It also blocks out the category for the driver to be able to go and do their own personal deal" (AP, 3/16).
