Lewis Hamilton celebrates Spanish GP podium with Shakira

British Formula 1 ace Lewis Hamilton has fuelled dating rumours with Colombian pop sensation Shakira after the latter was spotted at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona over the weekend. Leaked photos have also revealed that the singer celebrated the Mercedes driver's second-place finish with him after the race.

Twitterverse has been abuzz after a photo of Hamilton was shared showing him sitting beside Shakira as he enjoyed some drinks with friends Daniel Caesar, Mustafa and Fai Khadra. Before the celebratory drinks, the mum-of-two was seen enjoying the racing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya earlier in the day.

It was previously reported that the multi-Grammy Award winner was heading to Barcelona to accompany her two children as they visit their father, former footballer Gerard Pique. He and Shakira ended their relationship last summer, and have since reached a custody agreement.

The children have moved to Miami with Shakira for the most part, but Pique still has some visitation rights and the children come stay with him on certain occasions as well. With Shakira back in Barcelona, she took advantage of the time to enjoy some high octane action.

The "Hips Don't Lie" hitmaker was caught by cameras standing among friends while watching the action from a barricaded VIP area somewhere in the paddock on Sunday. The 46-year-old wore a colourful top with paisley print and looked fresh-faced as she watched Hamilton cross the line several seconds behind Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull driver dominated the race, but Hamilton's result was leaps and bounds better then what he had been able to produce this year and the year before. Mercedes have been struggling since last season's regulation changes, and the seven-time world champion has struggled to get back to competitive form.

However, many news outlets are quick to say that Shakira may have been an inspiring presence for the Briton as romance speculations continue to swirl between the two.

While it is not unusual to spot A-list celebrities at Formula 1 races, the rumour mill could not be stopped after Shakira was also seen at the Miami Grand Prix last month. At that time, it was not surprising to see Shakira as it was well known that she had moved there back in April after finalising the custody agreement with Pique.

However, the pair was been seen enjoying a boat ride together since then, and were also spotted dining at Miami hotspot Cipriani at the same time. Then, they also shared videos of themselves wakeboarding at what appeared to be the same spot in Miami.

Now, with the singer turning up at another Grand Prix just weeks later, the coincidences have sent tongues wagging.

It is still unclear is there is a romantic relationship between the two, but both are believed to be single and ready to mingle. Shakira's bitter separation from former FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has been tabloid fodder for over a year now, while Hamilton has not been reported to be in any serious relationship for a number of years. However, he has recently been linked with Brazilian model Juliana Nalu.

While relationship rumours abound, the pair may also be planning a professional collaboration. It is a known fact that Hamilton has a penchant for singing, and is also interested in fashion design. Shakira has released several collaborations with other artists in the past, and it won't be totally unthinkable for her to come up with a hot new track with the F1 racer.

In any case, Hamilton will be relieved to see the Mercedes so competitive, with him and his teammate George Russell taking second and third place in Spain. They have a long way to go to catch the Red Bulls, but they were able to outperform both the Ferraris and Aston Martins after their most recent upgrades.

It remains to be seen what will happen for the remainder of the season, both in Hamilton's professional and personal life.