Hamilton Meets Club Rainbow in Singapore, Hosted by Bridgestone

Bridgestone has been showing that its involvement in Formula One stretches beyond the supply of rubber on race days; the manufacturer hosted an event in which eight of the disadvantaged children of Singapore’s Club Rainbow met up with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton. Club Rainbow (Singapore) is a registered charity committed to helping children and youths suffering from a range of chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Established in 1992, the charity currently supports more than 470 beneficiaries and their families.

The beneficiaries, aged 12 to 19, were given a tour at the McLaren team garage and given an insight into the intricate preparation for the race vehicles.  The highlight of their visit was the exclusive meeting with Hamilton where he shared more about the sport with them. The beneficiaries then presented a hand-made gift to Hamilton and had pictures taken with him to mark the memorable visit. Kunihiko Umemoto, president of Bridgestone Asia Pacific said, “The buzzing excitement of the Formula One race is best experienced ‘live’ in person – with the sights, sounds and adrenalin rush. We are glad to bring the children and youths from Club Rainbow out for a remarkable time at the Singapore Grand Prix and to give them a rare glimpse of the workings behind the scenes.”

Gregory Vijayendran, President of Club Rainbow, commented, “Life is not about the breaths that we take each moment but of breathtaking moments. This is a spectacular and special outing for these Rainbow children – to see Lewis Hamilton in person, take part in a unique tour and come up close and personal to the thrills and spills of F1 motorsports racing. With Children’s Day around the corner, thank you Bridgestone for giving our kids this rare treat and remarkable time.”

Sharing his thoughts after the session, Hamilton said, “One of my favourite parts of being a Formula 1 driver is getting to meet children who are ill, sick or perhaps less fortunate than most of us, and being able to share their passion and enthusiasm for Grand Prix racing. We mustn’t lose sight of just how important sport can be to people’s dreams and aspirations and I was proud to take part in today’s event with Bridgestone. It really was a fantastic opportunity for Singapore’s Club Rainbow kids to get a unique insight into the workings of my Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team and to see just how we prepare for the Singapore Grand Prix – one of the most unique and exciting events on the grand prix calendar.” Completing the day, the Club Rainbow group was treated to a Grandstand viewing of the first practice session.