Lewis Hamilton

The 30th Formula 1 World Champion was the youngest ever, taking his first title in the most dramatic fashion - on the last corner of the last lap of the last race of one of the most scintillating seasons. The sensational triumph of the sport's first black driver, in only his second year at the pinnacle of motorsport, was a welcome human interest story that focused unprecedented international attention on Formula 1 racing. His prodigious talent and pleasing personality made Lewis Hamilton an inspirational role model and ideal ambassador for his profession...

Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born into a mixed-race family on 7 January 1985, in Stevenage, a quiet English town north of London. His father Anthony, whose parents immigrated from Grenada in the West Indies in the 1950's, and his mother Carmen divorced when Lewis was about two years old. He lived with Carmen until he was 10 then moved in with Anthony, his wife Linda and their three-year-old son Nicolas. Remaining close to his mother, Lewis also formed a strong bond with his stepmother and credits them both with contributing to the caring, considerate side of his nature. He finds the cheerful bravery of his stepbrother, who suffers from cerebral palsy, inspirational. "I only have to think of Nic to feel motivated and put a smile on my face." His steely ambition and iron resolve come from the head of the family. "Even though he always told me to be courteous and polite, my focus and determination comes from, and has always been driven by, my dad."

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Anthony Hamilton, his mentor and manager, worked day and night for years (at one time he held three different jobs) to further his son's racing career, which effectively began when eight-year-old Lewis was given a well-used go-kart that cost nearly as much as the family's modest monthly income. Soon the Hamiltons - Anthony, Linda, Nic and Lewis - were a fixture at karting events and the boy racer, wearing the familiar yellow helmet chosen by an anxious Anthony to better keep track of his speedy progress in crowded kart fields, began winning races and championships.

In 1995, a 10-year-old kart champion, wearing a borrowed suit and shoes, picked up two trophies at a motorsport awards ceremony in London. Brandishing an autograph book prepared by his father, he approached Ron Dennis, boss of the McLaren Mercedes Formula One team. "I said 'Hello Mr. Dennis, I'm Lewis Hamilton and one day I'd like to race for your team.' I asked him for his autograph and his phone number. He put them in my book and also wrote 'Call me in nine years.'"

The call was made just three years later and it was the Hamilton household's telephone that rang. It was Ron Dennis who presented Anthony with an offer to financially support his son's career for the forseeable future, with the proviso that Lewis should keep working hard at school. Lewis: "I just went upstairs to my room and got on with my homework. It was so unbelievable. I struggled to take it in."

While the family's financial struggle was over it put extra pressure on McLaren's teenage protege to meet ever higher expectations. As well as having to respond to envious critics who claimed he should be winning all the time, given his funding, it was imperative that Lewis continually prove himself worthy of his benefactor's investment. The need to achieve undoubtedly accelerated his progress through motorsport's ranks. After winning eight championships in six years of kart racing, he went on to win three major single seater titles, the most prestigious of which was the GP2 championship, where in 2006 he took five victories from 21 starts. But it was the young British charger's several spirited comeback performances, from the back of the pack to the podium, that particularly prompted McLaren to promote him to the Formula One team.

Certainly he was well prepared, though no one was prepared for the astonishing ease with which the precocious youngster stormed through the 2007 season. Consistently out-performing his celebrated team mate Fernando Alonso (who had won the first of his two driving titles, with Renault, when he was just 24), Lewis Hamilton barged onto the podium a dozen times, won four races, led the championship for five months and lost it by merely a single point in the final race to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

Their new recruit's dazzling debut was the only bright spot in a turbulent year for McLaren, whose two drivers became bitter adversaries. Their feud, exacerbated by Alonso's resentment of the British-based team's apparent focus an English upstart he had presumed would be his understudy, culminated in the slighted Spaniard's angry departure from a team already troubled by a notorious 'spy scandal.' Found guilty of possessing Ferrari technical secrets, McLaren was fined $100 million and stripped of all its points in a Constructors' Championship it would otherwise have won.

On assuming the role of team leader in 2008 (when Alonso returned to Renault) the boy wonder became even more of a marked man. En route to carving out five victories and scything his way to the podium on six other occasions, he incurred the wrath of several overtaken rivals who accused him of arrogance and dangerous driving. Hamilton insisted his hard-earned self-belief was wrongly interpreted and that his driving was firm but fair. But it wasn't without flaw and a combination of miscues and mishaps meant the championship was far from a foregone conclusion prior to the final Grand Prix, in Brazil. There, if Hamilton failed to finish at least fifth, Ferrari's Felipe Massa could take the title by winning his home race.

The grand finale, on a serpentine Interlagos circuit made more treacherous by rain, produced arguably the most thrilling climax in the annals of any sport. Local hero Massa mastered the chaotic conditions perfectly, crossing the finish line first and scoring the points necessary to become champion - which he was for the 38.907 seconds that passed before his title rival took the chequered flag in the fifth place he needed to finish on top of the world. With this final flourish, having overtaken another car with about 300 meters to go, Lewis Hamilton, aged 23 years and 300 days, became the youngest World Champion.

"Shoot!", he exclaimed while celebrating tearfully with his nearest and dearest, among them his glamorous pop singer girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger. "I'm ecstatic, very emotional, very thankful for my family, my team and everyone who has supported me in this fairy-tale story."

In the following seasons, though he continued to be one of the most aggressive drivers and a race winner, Hamilton failed to regain his championship form. His McLaren was not always a world-beater but in 2011 Hamilton blamed distractions in his private life (mainly a breakup with his girlfriend) for a loss of focus that he vowed to regain. In 2012, with his private life running smoothly, he drove hard and well and finished fourth in the standings with four wins. Before that campaign was over he announced he was leaving McLaren, the team that had been so much a part of his racing life for so long, and would in 2013 replace the retiring Michael Schumacher at Mercedes. In his new environment he was a regular frontrunner, securing several poles and podiums (including a race win) and finished a respectable fourth in the 2013 championship.

In 2014, when major regulation changes featured new hybrid power units in chassis with reduced downforce, Mercedes dominated the season, winning 16 of the 19 races and easily securing the Constructors’ Championship. Mercedes’ policy of letting its drivers race each other enabled team mates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to engage in an enthralling season-long duel for the driving title. Adding extra human interest to the drama was the fact that Hamilton (champion in 2008) and Rosberg (whose father Keke was champion in 1982) had been friends and rivals since their karting days as teenagers. Now, as 29-year-old protagonists competing for honours at the pinnacle of motorsport, the intensity of their rivalry strained their friendship and tested their strength of character.

The championship, with Hamilton leading in points and Rosberg still in contention, was finally settled in the last race of the season, at Abu Dhabi, where double points were awarded, though the race winner and new champion didn’t need them. Rosberg, who started from pole (and won the inaugural Pole Position trophy) but finished out of the points with a car problem, was gracious in defeat, acknowledging that his team mate’s tally of 11 wins to Rosberg’s five meant Hamilton deserved to be the 2014 champion.

Clinching his second driving title (as well as becoming the most successful British Formula One driver, with 33 victories) was an emotional occasion for Lewis Hamilton, whose family and girlfriend shared his tearful triumph at Abu Dhabi. Struggling to put his feelings into words, he summed it up succinctly: “This is the greatest day of my life.”

Days of greatness were far from over for a driver yet to reach the peak of his powers. Off the track he relished his celebrity status, embraced pop culture, dabbled in music, became a style icon, hob-nobbed with the rich and famous.

His fame transcended his sport but the high-flying, tattooed hero with diamond ear studs never lost his driving ambition, his hunger to win. He worked hard at self-improvement, added a thinking dimension to his hard-charging instincts, made fewer mistakes and became an unstoppable force in 2015.

He dominated the season, making full use of his Mercedes F1 Team's car advantage and capping it off with a triple crown triumph secured via a storming victory in the 16th of the 19 races - an action-packed, drama-filled United States Grand Prix at Austin, Texas. On a wet to drying track wheel-to-wheel battles raged throughout the field, beginning with Hamilton pushing aside his polesitting Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg on the opening lap. Many driving errors were made but Hamilton never put a wheel wrong in winning his 10th race of the year - an historic 43rd career victory that vaulted him into third place in the all-time winners list behind Michael Schumacher and Alain Prost.

His third world championship - matching the tally of his boyhood hero Ayrton Senna - confirmed that Lewis Hamilton had joined the ranks of the sport's greatest drivers.

The three-time champion lost none of his natural speed (he had the most poles and wins) yet lost the 2016 championship (by five points) to his hard-trying Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg. Their huge car advantage and the team’s policy of letting them fight freely led to a sometimes acrimonious title battle. Hamilton had more mechanical problems and made some driving errors that suggested a wavering focus caused by his continuing pursuit of a celebrity lifestyle. He denied this, saying “I probably drove with more heart his year. It took a lot more heart and courage to face the challenges”.

Lewis Hamilton’s fourth Drivers’ Championship earned him a place among the top five most successful drivers of all time. He equalled the number of titles won by both Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel. Only Juan Manuel Fangio’s five championships and Michael Schumacher’s record of seven rank higher than the 32-year-old Englishman who in his 11th season came to be regarded as the best driver of his era.

His 2017 title triumph was the product of Hamilton raising his game and performing at a consistently higher level. He demonstrated superior speed (with 11 pole positions he extended his career total to 72, a F1 record), unerring precision (his only notable crash came during qualifying at Interlagos), relentless aggression (pushing himself with a deep-seated self-belief that he was unbeatable), exemplary racecraft (remaining steadfastly composed and controlled under pressure) and remarkable efficiency (he scored points in all 20 races, winning nine of them and finishing on the podium 13 times). Moreover, his tremendous pace and stylish verve behind the wheel were exciting for the sport.

It helped that the Mercedes F1 WO8 was generally the best car, and the well-managed team again functioning like a well-oiled machine won the Constructors’ Championship for the fourth season in succession. Hamilton and his easy-going new team mate Valtteri Bottas, replacing the retired reigning champion Nico Rosberg, were allowed to compete with each other. His defeat by Rosberg in their acrimonious 2016 battle bolstered Hamilton’s resolve to re-establish his superiority, which he did convincingly. Bottas won three races and finished third in the standings. That their relationship remained harmonious was a further example of Hamilton’s newfound serenity and contentment.

He derived satisfaction from his racing accomplishments and took obvious pleasure in embracing a colourful celebrity lifestyle that made him an even more popular personality. He cultivated a high profile presence on social media, remaining humble and profusely thanking his fans for supporting and inspiring him. His multitude of followers left little doubt that Lewis Hamilton’s fame exceeded that of any other F1 driver. Beyond that, as his former team mate and rival Nico Rosberg observed, “Lewis is one of the best of all time.”

His magisterial performance in 2018 elevated Lewis Hamilton to the highest echelons of the pinnacle of motorsport. His fifth World Championship equalled the decades old milestone established by the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio. At the age of 33, Hamilton’s records to date – 73 wins, 83 poles and 134 podiums in 229 Grands Prix – left him well-placed to pursue the seven driving title achievement of the great Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton’s superlative season - his 11 wins, 11 poles and 17 podiums in the 21-races – not only led Mercedes to a fifth consecutive Constructors’ Championship (his winless team mate Valtteri Bottas finished fifth among the drivers) but firmly confirmed his status as the team leader. Against stronger opposition from Ferrari (6 wins) and Red Bull (4 wins) Hamilton led by example, setting a scorching pace on the track and taking it upon himself to motivate the Mercedes personnel to even greater effort. They found his tremendous inner drive inspirational. His continual expressions of gratitude strengthened team spirit.

Mercedes got better and better as the season went on, following Hamilton, who overpowered Ferrari’s dispirited Sebastian Vettel to take the driving title with two races to go, then scored victories in the final two events to vanquish Ferrari and seal the team championship for Mercedes.

His outstanding season, the product of greater understanding of the value of teamwork as well as his focus on continual self-improvement, was especially satisfying for Lewis Hamilton. “This is the highest point of my career,“ he acknowledged, “in terms of my performance and how I perform with the team.”

His winning ways endeared him to yet more fans. He never failed to thank them for their support and kept his multitude of social media followers informed about his busy off-track life that now included designing a new line of high fashion clothing and news that his pet bulldog Roscoe earned $700 a day as a model.

In the 13th year of his F1 career Lewis Hamilton secured his sixth world championship (one less than Michael Schumacher’s record seven), thus confirming his status as not only the driver of the decade but convincingly securing his place among the select few considered to be the greatest of all time.

The 2019 driving title (his fifth in six years) was hard earned in a field that featured several ambitious youngsters intent on dethroning the 34-year-old superstar. While his Mercedes team secured a sixth consecutive Constructors’ Championship their car, though still the class of the field, was less dominant than before.

During the 21-race season Ferrari and Red Bull each won three races but were undermined by uneven performances. Mercedes, superbly organised and cohesive with a strong team spirit united in a common cause, tallied 15 victories. Lewis Hamilton led the charge, outscoring his improving team mate Valtteri Bottas 11 victories to four and leading the league in terms of consistently delivering points. He was the only driver to score in every race, finishing on the podium in all but four events.

Hamilton’s impressive efficiency combined with his habitual hard charging confirmed his superiority behind the wheel. He relished the cut and thrust of close combat and was invariably a fierce but fair fighter. His driving was nearly faultless. When he made a rare mistake he was quick to admit it. He confessed staying on top was sometimes a struggle. “Only athletes at the top of their game can relate to it. Weekend after weekend you can’t drop the ball.”

The sport’s best driver remained humble and honest, wearing his heart on his sleeve and showing more of his sensitive side. Describing his season “an emotional rollercoaster,” he dedicated it to his late friend and mentor Niki Lauda. He mourned the loss of FIA F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting, expressed shock after F2 driver Anthoine Hubert was killed in Belgium.

Beyond excelling in his risky profession Hamilton continued to develop himself personally, furthering his interests in fashion and music, as well as exposing his social conscience. A vegan of several years, he increasingly spoke publicly of his environmental and animal welfare concerns, and helped launch a plant-based burger restaurant in London. More than ever he focussed on using his popularity as a force for positive social change.

Recognising his responsibility as a role model for young people striving to make their way in troubled times, Lewis Hamilton the social media star encouraged his millions of supporters in ‘Team Hamilton’ to follow their dreams and never give up, a philosophy that took him to the top of the world.

Shortened and stressed by the global Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 schedule - 17 races crammed into 23 weekends in 12 countries - resulted in one of the most intense and memorable seasons in the sport’s 70-year history. The non-stop action at existing and new venues featured exciting racing, displays of virtuoso driving, even a couple of first-time winners. A fiery accident from which driver Romain Grosjean miraculously escaped was a frightening reminder that danger is never far away.

The one constant in this tumultuous time was the continuing domination of Lewis Hamilton, who won his seventh driving title and led his Mercedes team to a seventh consecutive constructors’ championship.

The 35-year-old superstar’s record-setting season, achieved with 11 wins, 10 poles and 14 podiums, made Hamilton statistically the most successful F1 driver ever. At the end of it, his 14-year, 266-race career had thus far produced 95 wins, 98 poles, 165 podiums, as well as putting him atop several other categories, with no signs of him of slowing down.

Throughout his triumphant campaign Hamilton handled his class-of-the-field Mercedes W11 with methodical precision, controlling races, driving flawlessly fast, yet with car-conserving care, to far outperform his team mate Valtteri Bottas, who won just two races and finished a distant second overall, in an identical car. Far from gloating Hamilton paid tribute to him: "Valtteri is amazing and doesn't get the credit he deserves."

Confirming the magnitude of Hamilton’s supremacy was the fact he missed the penultimate race suffering from the Covid-19 virus, then finished third in the final race while feeling far below par. “The virus is no joke,” he said. “I’m destroyed. I do not feel good and I’m grateful to be alive and fight another day.”

Lewis Hamilton fans, whose support he constantly acclaims, appreciate his personal warmth, humanity and candour. He revealed that he wept in his helmet on the cooling-down lap after securing the seventh championship that equalled Michael Schumacher’s historic achievement. Hamilton said he felt “humbled” to break records set by former heroes. He confided he still finds the build-up to a race “terrifying”, that doubts and uncertainties are personal demons. He uses prayer and meditation, practises yoga, reads self-help books to control his fears, bolster his confidence. His dog Roscoe, a faithful companion, is a source of joy.

Peerless in the car, he is a vital component in the all-conquering Mercedes team, leading by example with tireless drive and determination, inspiring the personnel to constantly strive to improve their performance, making major contributions to the way the car and the teamwork. He is a loyal team player, thanking everyone regularly. :"I couldn't have done any of this without an incredible team behind me." (During his disastrous 2020 season Sebastian Vettel much appreciated a compassionate Hamilton calling him frequently to cheer him up and motivate him.)

Few champions have worked harder at their profession, none has become such a persuasive influencer in promoting positive social change. Using his high profile, communicating directly via social media to many millions of followers worldwide, he supports such worthy causes as human rights, children’s welfare, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, disaster relief and especially racial equality and diversity.

He spearheaded the drivers’ Black Lives Matter pre-race ceremony, established himself as an articulate spokesman campaigning against racial injustice and became a prominent crusader in the movement to create equal opportunity for the disadvantaged.

From his unique perspective atop the pinnacle of motorsport Lewis Hamilton saw a flawed wider world and took it upon himself to use his position of power to become a force for good.

Lewis Hamilton called the 2021 season the hardest ever in his 15 years at the pinnacle of motorsport. Hamilton and Max Verstappen dominated the 20-car entry. The drivers were at the top of the game, their respective Mercedes and Red Bull Racing teams were the class of the field. The intense rivalry between the 36-year-old seven-time world champion Englishman and his hard-charging 24-year-old Dutch rival was marred by frequent clashes. Responding to Verstappen’s aggressive driving, Hamilton fought back in kind - setting them on a collision course seemingly destined to end in controversy – which it did. Millions of enthralled viewers witnessed one the most ferociously fought championships in F1 history.

In the British Grand Prix at Silverstone their high-speed collision sent Verstappen crashing violently into the barriers. While he was transferred to hospital for tests that found him badly shaken, Hamilton went on to win despite a time penalty after stewards found him predominantly to blame for the incident. At the Italian Grand Prix the duelling duo’s coming-together at Monza’s first corner ended terminally with the Red Bull perched precariously atop the Mercedes. For Hamilton, who escaped with wheel marks on his helmet, this was his first non-finish in 63 races. In the penultimate Saudia Arabian round, won by Hamilton ahead of Verstappen after yet another acrimonious altercation in which the Mercedes rear-ended the Red Bull, caused according to Hamilton by a dangerous ‘brake test’ manoeuvre for which his rival was assessed a time penalty.

Having exchanged the championship lead throughout the year (though Verstappen had nine wins to Hamilton’s eight) the adversaries came to the final race exactly equal in points. Thus the sport was dramatically poised for a championship showdown at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina track.

Hamilton convincingly led Verstappen until a backmarker’s crash with a few laps remaining closed up the field behind the safety car. To preserve his lead Hamilton stayed out on worn tyres while Verstappen pitted for fresh rubber. With the chequered flag fast approaching, the race director instructed only those lapped cars separating the two frontrunners to un-lap themselves (normally it would be all lapped cars), thus clearing the way for a last lap of all-out racing from which the winner would take the title.

The Red Bull car on newly fitted tyres easily overtook the Mercedes and Max Verstappen became the new world champion. As the Red Bull team wept with joy there were tears of rage among despairing Mercedes personnel.

After Mercedes’ protests over the contentious safety car decision and the race result were rejected, the team ultimately opted against taking the matter to appeal, with the FIA announcing it would conduct a ‘detailed analysis and clarification exercise’ intended to end the controversy and the ensuing arguments that were ‘tarnishing the image of the sport.’

Enhancing the image of the sport was Lewis Hamilton’s dignified response to a crushing defeat that left him disillusioned and unsure of his future.

“Firstly, a big congratulations to Max and his team,” he said ahead of the podium ceremony at Abu Dhabi. “I think our team did an amazing job…all the men and women who have worked so hard this whole year…I’m so proud of them and so grateful to be part of the journey with them…We gave it absolutely everything and we never gave up – that’s the most important thing…We’re still in the Covid pandemic and I just wish for everyone to stay safe and have a good Christmas with all their families and we’ll see about next year.”

Mario Andretti, 1978 world champion, tweeted a heartfelt appreciation of Hamilton’s sportsmanship: ‘The Lewis Hamilton Master Class on how to be the best in every way. A champion who wins most days and shows the world how to behave and stay composed when situations aren’t kind to you. LH brings his A-game even when his soul is ripped out. Strength, Control of spirit. Role model.’

After the race the loser’s father Anthony Hamilton embraced and consoled his son and then generously congratulated Max and his father Jos Verstappen. A few days later Lewis Hamilton visited the Mercedes factory, praising the team on winning an eighth consecutive Constructors’ Championship, thanking them for their efforts on his behalf, encouraging the personnel to not be discouraged. Next, accompanied by his mother Carmen to the ceremony at Windsor Castle, Sir Lewis Hamilton was officially knighted by Prince Charles.

Undisputed were Lewis Hamilton’s unrivaled achievements after 288 F1 races. His records to date included 103 victories, 103 pole positions, 183 podium appearances and numerous other distinctions .

In 2022 Sir Lewis Hamilton failed to win a single F1 Grand Prix for the first time in his career. He was classified sixth in the drivers’ standings, two positions behind his young Mercedes team mate George Russell. In the 22-race season. Hamilton made 10 trips to the podium (including five second places) and scored points in all but two races. The Mercedes team was third in the Constructors’ Championship, behind Red Bull and Ferrari, but the perceived plight of the sport’s most successful driver was headline news.

Hamilton’s strenuous effort in a losing cause was far from a personal disaster. There was no sulking over the unfairness of his 2021 title loss, no lessening of his will to win, His tremendous fighting spirit was still there, as was his steadfast loyalty to Mercedes, whose imperfect W13 chassis was the root cause of the team’s performance drop-off in 2022. Searching for solutions to sort out the ill-handling car, Mercedes experimented with radical set-up changes during race weekends, entrusting much of this task to its most experienced driver - Hamilton.

The ‘test pilot’ duties accounted for his uneven results but the car gradually improved, thus enabling 24-year-old Russell, in his first full term with Mercedes, to distinguish himself in a supporting role - highlighted by a first F1 victory in the penultimate race of the season. Finishing second there, Hamilton was quick to congratulate Russell whose obvious talent bode well for the future - as did the winning ways of his 37-year-old team mate. For the 2023 season Hamilton’s outstanding record of 103 victories would amount to more than the rest of the grid combined.

The seven-time World Champion revealed how the decision to prolong his career came after a short debate with himself. “It won’t be forever but something inside was telling me ‘You’re not done yet. You’ve got to keep pushing. You’ve got more to do, more to achieve, on and off the track.”

He admitted his fierce inner drive, his dedication to promoting the many worthy causes he supports was exhausting, but also the source of the energy required to continue. Neverthless, there was a time limit. “At some stage,” he revealed, “I will want to have a family and that will be my full focus, but right now, being in Formula 1 with Mercedes is it.”

Text - Gerald Donaldson