Lewis Hamilton and Kim Kardashian's rumoured relationship has been branded a 'showmance, not a romance' after theirmuch-photographed beach date in Malibu, California, with a body language expert claiming theF1 staris 'only posing' with the reality mogul for attention online.
The news came after a rapid series of public sightings of Hamilton and Kardashian in recent weeks, from beingspotted together at Coachella 2026to sitting side by side at the 2026 Super Bowl. The pair had beenquietly linked since February, but Kardashian appeared to confirm the speculation on 16 April when she posted an Instagram photo sitting on the 41‑year‑old driver's lap, his heavily tattooed hands visible even though his face was hidden. For a couple who supposedly wanted to 'keep things under wraps', it has been a conspicuously well-documented start.
The latest images, taken as Hamilton and Kardashian splashed around in the Malibu surf before drying off with matching towels, have now been forensically picked over by body language specialist Inbaal Honigman.
Speaking on behalf of Casino.org, Honigman argued the Hamilton–Kardashian display was more performance than passion. 'Their body language, facial expressions and the way they relate to one another are not genuine, warm or loving, but casual, friendly and giggly,' she said. 'The pair frolic on the beach like a couple of best friends working together, there is no passion or attraction detected. Framing this as a date is incorrect, this is a fake scene that is created for photos and likes.'
Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton spotted at Malibu beach ✨The way they interacted… so sweet.❤️pic.twitter.com/poD1cFSSeU
That last line is fairly brutal. The suggestion is that Hamilton is not a besotted partner but a willing co‑star in a curated moment designed to travel neatly across Instagram and celebrity blogs.
One particular image, which some fans held up as proof that things were heating up, shows Hamilton's hand resting on Kardashian's backside. Honigman was unconvinced. 'Firstly, his hand is resting casually on her bottom. Lewis isn't grabbing Kim's cheek passionately, nor is he stroking it lovingly,' she explained. 'He's simply posing with it like a trophy.'
Kim Kardashian & Lewis Hamilton show PDA during a Malibu beach day.pic.twitter.com/5w4j522KVS
It is a harsh reading of a single pose, though the criticism cuts both ways. The expert described the shot as 'one-sided,' pointing out that Kardashian, 45, was not seen returning the gesture with any equivalent intimacy. The implication is that if there is theatre going on here, it may not be particularly well rehearsed.
Honigman did not stop at one snapshot. Looking at the series of beach photographs, she said the more mundane frames were the most revealing. The matching towels moment, which could have come straight from a holiday brochure, was, in her view, a giveaway.
Source: International Business Times UK
