Lewis Hamilton to miss Oscars, despite 'F1' movie nominations, for Chinese GP

"I think it's impossible. I've looked at every way to get there in time, but unfortunately I can't get there. But I'll FaceTime with Joe and Jerry when they're there, which will be cool. I'm incredibly proud, and I never ever thought in a million years that that would be the outcome of the work that we're doing over the past years."

"Shanghai, where this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix will take place, is a 12.5-hour flight from Los Angeles, but even with the 15-hour time zone difference it would be impossible for Hamilton to make the journey in time. F1 races have a three-hour window in which they can take place -- allowing leeway for red flag stoppages -- but even if Hamilton took off three hours after the scheduled race start, he would still only land 30 minutes before the ceremony in Hollywood is due to get underway."

"It's amazing to see. I don't know if it's the sport, but to see how much promotion there is around the world, to see the buzz, to see new people getting excited for the sport, in the way that so many of us were growing up. It's really great to see that that is expanding. And on top of that, I'm still here, still to be a part of it and witness it."

Lewis Hamilton explored all possible options to attend the Oscars ceremony on Sunday but determined it was impossible to arrive on time due to scheduling conflicts with the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. The film "F1," which Hamilton co-produced and appeared in, received four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Visual Effects. Hamilton worked extensively on the project with director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, contributing to the script and participating in driving sequences with lead actor Brad Pitt. Despite the 15-hour time zone difference, the 12.5-hour flight from Shanghai to Los Angeles makes attendance unfeasible, as even departing three hours after the race start would result in arrival only 30 minutes before the ceremony begins. Hamilton expressed pride in the film's recognition and plans to connect with collaborators via FaceTime during the event.

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