F1 star Hamilton climbs Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU - For 42 years, Taising Samidin has been guiding people up Mount Kinabalu and on Friday, it was no different.

What he did not know was that one member of the group of seven he was guiding was Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

He thought nothing of it, except to guide the group up the summit trail before ascending the 4,095m peak the following morning.

But, the reactions of others who recognised Hamilton and the many requests for photographs with the group made him wonder.

"If you talk about footballers like Lionel Messi, maybe I would know, but race car drivers? I have no clue who they are," said the 58-year-old from Kampung Kiau, who described the Briton as a nice man.

Taising said Hamilton was not tall, had closely cropped hair and quiet, but appeared to have enjoyed his walk up the trail at an easy pace.

"When there were people around he keeps his head down, but they still noticed him. He is fit, but one person in the group did not reach the peak," said Taising, who guides people up the mountain three to four times weekly.

Hamilton and his group stayed for a night in Laban Rata on Friday before completing the route up the peak in his five-day visit to the state. He arrived on a private jet on Wednesday night.

A lawyer training for the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon race on Oct 19 and 20 said she saw Hamilton coming down the mountain at 10am on Saturday.

"He looked handsome, but shy. I tried to get a picture of him, but was prevented by someone from his group as they walked past me and some friends."

An Immigration officer, who declined to be named, said when Hamilton arrived, he wore a cap on backwards, a T-shirt, shorts and sneakers.

"He was like any other tourist, but I recognised him straightaway," the officer said, adding that Hamilton was friendly, despite his protective group.

"I guess it is understandable when you are as famous as he is."