Kanye West 'Rage Factor' is 'Forcing Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton' Into Keeping Relationship 'Strictly Friends With Benefits'
Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton are doing their best to avoid Kanye West's rage.
Feb. 10 2026, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Kim Kardashian is navigating her new romance with Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton under what sources told RadarOnline.com is the looming "rage factor" of her ex-husband Kanye West – a dynamic insiders said is forcing the pair to keep things "strictly friends with benefits."
Kardashian, 45, and seven-time world champion racer Hamilton, 41, have been linked after recently being spotted together on a weekend escape to a five-star hotel in the English countryside, followed by a joint appearance at the Super Bowl.
'Kanye's infamous Volatility' Is An Issue
Kardashian has kept her relationship with Hamilton casual and low-key.
The sightings come amid Kardashian's continued efforts to keep her personal life low-key following her 2021 divorce from West, 48, with whom she shares four children.
Friends said the timing, locations, and discretion of her time with Hamilton point to a relationship carefully managed in the shadow of West's volatile public history.
"Kanye's infamous volatility is a constant background presence here," one source claimed. "Kim and Lewis are acutely aware that anything which looks like a serious relationship could provoke an explosive reaction, so they have deliberately kept things light and undefined.
"Staying in a friends-with-benefits lane is, for them, a way of avoiding unnecessary drama and not turning their private lives into something for Kanye to seize on."
Another insider added the pair were intent on "not rubbing Kanye's face" in their relationship – saying: "Both of them understand from experience how rapidly situations can spiral once Kanye feels challenged or undermined, and that awareness has made them extremely cautious about how visible or serious this becomes."
Lewis Hamilton 'Not Looking to Settle Down'
Friends claimed concerns about West have shaped the pair's cautious approach.
West, who legally changed his name to Ye, has a record of publicly attacking Kardashian's former partners, most notably Pete Davidson, whom the reality star dated for nine months after their divorce.
That history, sources said, has shaped the tone of her current connection with Hamilton, whom West has known socially for more than a decade.
One insider added: "Lewis and Kim are not in an exclusive relationship, and there is no expectation that this is heading toward something serious. Lewis is not looking to settle down with anyone at this stage, Kim included. As long as it remains light and uncomplicated, they are happy to let the rumors circulate. But the 'rage factor' surrounding Kanye means it simply cannot develop into anything deeper right now."
Kardashian and Hamilton – who have known each other for 12 years – are believed to have reconnected after attending actress Kate Hudson's New Year's Eve party in Aspen, Colorado, last year, before meeting again privately in Britain.
Just Friends With Benefits?
Sources said Kardashian and Hamilton have avoided defining their connection as serious.
Kardashian flew into the U.K. last weekend on her private jet to spend around 24 hours with Hamilton at Estelle Manor, a luxury estate set across 85 acres, accompanied by security.
They were later seen arriving together at a Paris hotel. A separate source said the atmosphere between them was deliberately understated.
"There was a romantic feel to it, but everything was very carefully managed," they added. "That was entirely deliberate. By keeping things strictly friends with benefits, they avoid drawing too much attention and, as everyone involved understands, avoid poking the bear that is Kanye."
Kardashian has spoken candidly about how her marriage to West continues to affect her dating life.
Appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast in October 2025, she said: "There has been situations where I'll get close to someone, then it's like, 'Wait, wait, wait, I don't really want to deal with your ex. I don't want to deal if he's going to say something.'"
She added: "So, it has been a little frustrating, but then I get my person wouldn't care about that."
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Hamilton has avoided public displays that could trigger backlash.
Sources said Hamilton's calm demeanor has been reassuring for Kardashian.
One insider added: "Lewis has been a steady presence for Kim as she navigates a complicated co-parenting arrangement, offering support without adding pressure. But he is not looking to take on a stepfather role or be part of a headline-making power couple. For now, this casual, fun arrangement suits them both."
Kardashian and Hamilton have known each other since at least 2014, when they were photographed together with their then-partners at the GQ Men of the Year Awards in London.
In 2015, Hamilton joined Kardashian's family at Glastonbury when West headlined the festival.
West recently issued a public apology for his antisemitic remarks in an astonishing open letter, citing bipolar disorder and a past brain injury for declarations including his admiration for Hitler.
