Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton closed streets in New York as he made a pitstop on 5th Avenue to help promote a new partnership between Whatsapp and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS.
New Yorkers got treated to a thrilling F1 experience in front of the Empire State Building by Hamilton doing donuts midday on one of the city's most famous streets.
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"It was surreal," Hamilton said. "I never thought I would one day drive an F1 car down 5th Avenue."
The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS driver took an older-generation Mercedes F1 car for a spin and according to organizers, it was the first time an event like this happened in Manhattan.
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WhatsApp said users of its app platform should have begun noticing in their chats a new race car emoji that is a black and teal open-wheel car like the one Mercedes uses in real life.
A life-sized replica of the emoji race car was also featured.
The event was held in anticipation of the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, which is scheduled for May 3-5.
In addition to highlighting the growing presence of WhatsApp and F1 in the U.S.
