Hamilton signed for Mercedes in 2013 to partner Nico Rosberg, ending his 15-year association with McLaren. Following his maiden victory with the team at the Hungarian Grand Prix, new engine regulations came into effect the following season, which saw Mercedes emerge as the dominant force in Formula One. Over the next three seasons, Hamilton and Rosberg won 51 of 59 Grands Prix amidst their fierce rivalry—widely known as The Silver War—with Hamilton winning the former titles in 2014 and 2015, and Rosberg winning the latter. After Rosberg's retirement, Hamilton twice overturned mid-season point deficits to Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari to claim his fourth and fifth titles in 2017 and 2018. Hamilton won his sixth title in 2019, before breaking several records across his 2020 campaign—including the all-time win record at the Portuguese Grand Prix—to equal Michael Schumacher's record of seven World Drivers' Championships. Hamilton became the first driver to surpass 100 race wins and pole positions in 2021, finishing runner-up to Max Verstappen amidst a controversial finish. Following winless campaigns in 2022 and 2023, Hamilton took his record-breaking ninth British Grand Prix victory in 2024, his twelfth and final season with Mercedes. Hamilton is set to join Ferrari from 2025 onwards.
Hamilton has been credited with furthering Formula One's global following by appealing to a broader audience outside the sport, in part due to his high-profile lifestyle, amongst his environmental and social activism. He has also become a prominent advocate in support of racial justice and increased diversity in motorsport. Hamilton was listed in the 2020 issue of Time as one of the 100 most influential people globally, and was knighted in the 2021 New Year Honours.
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born on 7 January 1985 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.[6][7] His father, Anthony Hamilton, is of Afro-Grenadian descent, while his mother, Carmen Larbalestier, is White British from Birmingham,[8] making him mixed-race.[9][10] Hamilton's parents separated when he was two, after which he lived with his mother and older half-sisters, Samantha and Nicola, until he was twelve.[11] Hamilton then lived with his father, stepmother Linda, and his half-brother Nicolas, who is also a professional racing driver.[12][13] Hamilton was raised a Catholic.[14]
Hamilton's father bought him a radio-controlled car when he was five.[15] Hamilton finished second in the national BRCA championship the following year against adult competition.[16] Being the only black child racing at his club, Hamilton was subjected to racist abuse.[15][17] Hamilton's father bought him a go-kart for Christmas when he was six and promised to support his racing career as long as he worked hard at school.[18] To support his son, Hamilton's father took redundancy from his position as an IT manager and became a contractor, sometimes working up to four jobs at a time including employment as a double glazing salesman, dishwasher, and putting up signs for estate agents,[19] while still attending his son's races.[20] Hamilton's father later set up his own IT company.[21] He continued to be Hamilton's manager until early 2010.[22][23]
Hamilton was educated at The John Henry Newman School, a voluntary aided Catholic secondary school in Stevenage.[24] Hamilton has said that at the age of five he took up karate to defend himself as a result of bullying at school.[25] He was also excluded from school for a period when he was mistakenly identified as having attacked a fellow student who was treated in hospital for his injuries.[26] In addition to racing, he played association football for his school team with eventual England international, Ashley Young.[21] Hamilton, an Arsenal fan, said that if Formula One had not worked for him, he would have been a footballer or a cricketer, having played both for his school teams.[27] In February 2001, he began studies at Cambridge Arts and Sciences (CATS), a private sixth-form college in Cambridge.[28]
Junior racing career
Karting
Hamilton began karting in 1993 and quickly began winning races and cadet class championships.[29][30] Two years later, he became the youngest driver to win the British cadet karting championship at the age of ten. That year, Hamilton approached McLaren Formula One team boss Ron Dennis at the Autosport Awards for an autograph and said: "Hi. I'm Lewis Hamilton. I won the British Championship and one day I want to be racing your cars."[19] Dennis wrote in Hamilton's autograph book: "Phone me in nine years, we'll sort something out then."[31]
When Hamilton was 12, Ladbrokes took a bet, at 40/1 odds, that Hamilton would win a Formula One race before the age of 23; another predicted, at 150/1 odds, that he would win the World Drivers' Championship before he was 25.[32] In 1998, Dennis called Hamilton following his second Super One series and British championship wins,[16] to offer Hamilton a role in the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Programme.[9] The contract included an option of a future Formula One seat, which would make Hamilton the youngest driver to secure a contract that later resulted in a Formula One drive.[29]
He's a quality driver, very strong and only 16. If he keeps this up I'm sure he will reach F1. It's something special to see a kid of his age out on the circuit. He's clearly got the right racing mentality.
Hamilton continued his progress in the Intercontinental A (1999), Formula A (2000) and Formula Super A (2001) ranks, and became European Champion in 2000 with maximum points. In Formula A and Formula Super A, racing for TeamMBM.com, his teammate was Nico Rosberg, who would later drive for the Williams and Mercedes teams in Formula One; they would later team up again for Mercedes from 2013 to 2016. Following his karting successes, the British Racing Drivers' Club made him a "Rising Star" Member in 2000.[34] In 2001, Michael Schumacher made a one-off return to karts and competed against Hamilton along with other future Formula One drivers Vitantonio Liuzzi and Nico Rosberg. Hamilton ended the final in seventh, four places behind Schumacher. Although the two saw little of each other on the track, Schumacher praised the young Briton.[35]
Formula Renault and Formula Three
Hamilton began his car racing career in the 2001 British Formula Renault Winter Series, finishing fifth in the standings.[16] This led to a full 2002 Formula Renault UK campaign with Manor Motorsport in which he finished fifth overall.[36] He remained with Manor for another year, winning the championship ahead of Alex Lloyd.[37] Having clinched the championship, Hamilton missed the last two races of the season to make his debut in the season finale of the British Formula 3 Championship.[38] In his first race he was forced out with a puncture,[39] and in the second he crashed out and was taken to hospital after a collision with teammate Tor Graves.[40]
Asked in 2002 about the prospect of becoming one of the youngest ever Formula One drivers, Hamilton replied that his goal was "not to be the youngest in Formula One" but rather "to be experienced and then show what I can do in Formula One".[41] He made his debut with Manor in the 2004 Formula 3 Euro Series, ending the year fifth in the championship.[42] He also won the Bahrain F3 Superprix,[43] and twice raced in the Macau F3 Grand Prix.[44][45] Williams had come close to signing Hamilton but did not because BMW, their engine supplier at the time, would not fund him.[46] Hamilton eventually re-signed with McLaren. According to then McLaren executive and future CEO Martin Whitmarsh, who was responsible for guiding Hamilton through the team's young driver programme, he and Anthony Hamilton had a "huge row" at the end of the season, with his father pushing for him to move up to GP2 for 2005, while Whitmarsh felt that he should remain in Formula 3 for a second season, culminating in Whitmarsh tearing up Hamilton's contract; however, Hamilton called Whitmarsh six weeks later and re-signed with the team.[19]
Hamilton first tested for McLaren in late 2004 at Silverstone.[47] Hamilton moved to the reigning Euro Series champions ASM for the 2005 season and dominated the championship, winning 15 of the 20 rounds.[16] He also won the Marlboro Masters of Formula 3 at Zandvoort.[48] After the season British magazine Autosport featured him in their "Top 50 Drivers of 2005" issue, ranking Hamilton 24th.[16]
GP2
Hamilton moved to ASM's sister GP2 team, ART Grand Prix, for the 2006 season.[49] Hamilton won the GP2 championship at his first attempt, beating Nelson Piquet Jr. and Alexandre Prémat.[50] He secured a dominant win at the Nürburgring, after a penalty for speeding in the pit lane.[51] At his home race at Silverstone, Hamilton overtook two rivals at Becketts, a series of high-speed bends where overtaking is rare.[52] In Istanbul he recovered from a spin that left him in eighteenth place to take second.[53] Hamilton won the title in unusual circumstances, inheriting the final point he needed after Giorgio Pantano was stripped of fastest lap in the Monza feature race.[54]
Hamilton took his maiden Formula One victory at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, in his sixth appearance.
Hamilton's maiden season in Formula One saw him partner two-time defending World Drivers' Champion Fernando Alonso at McLaren.[61] At the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton became the first—and, as of 2024[update], only—black driver to race in the series.[62][63][64] After finishing third on debut,[65] Hamilton went on to set several records,[66] including the most consecutive podium finishes from debut (9), the most wins in a debut season (4, shared with Jacques Villeneuve) and the most points in a debut season (109).[67] Acquiring the championship lead as early as in the fourth round of the season, Hamilton became the youngest driver to lead the World Drivers' Championship. After strategical missteps by McLaren in the closing rounds of the season, amongst a retirement at the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton's 12-point advantage in the standings evanesced.[68][69] He finished runner-up in the championship to Räikkönen by one point, classified ahead of teammate Alonso whilst finishing level on points.[note 2] Throughout the season, Hamilton and Alonso were involved in several incidents, which resulted in inter-team tensions, culminating in Alonso and McLaren terminating their contract by mutual consent.[71][72] Hamilton signed a £50 million contract to stay with the team until the end of 2012.[73]
Partnering Heikki Kovalainen for 2008, Hamilton's winning form continued as he amassed five race victories and 10 podium finishes. At the rain-affected British Grand Prix, he won by over a minute from second-placed Nick Heidfeld, which was widely acclaimed as one of the greatest wet-weather performances in Formula One history.[74] As the season reached its conclusion, the championship became a two-way fight between Hamilton and Ferrari's Felipe Massa. Hamilton won his first title at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, overtaking Timo Glock for fifth-place at the final corners of the last lap to become the then-youngest World Drivers' Champion, and deny race-winner Massa the title by one point.[75][76] Hamilton also became the first British driver to win the World Drivers' Championship since Damon Hill in 1996.[77]
2009–2012: Final years at McLaren
During his final four years with McLaren—a period largely dominated by Red Bull—Hamilton continued to score podium finishes and race victories, and once challenged for the title. Major technical regulation changes in 2009 led to a challenging start for McLaren.[78] Often qualifying outside of the top ten, and struggling to consistently score points, Hamilton was unable to defend his title. Major upgrades at the German Grand Prix saw a dramatic improvement in performance of the MP4-24. From that point onward, Hamilton advanced from eleventh to fifth in the standings, outscoring the rest of the field with two victories across the remaining nine rounds.[79]
Several race retirements hindered Hamilton's chances of winning the title in 2010 and 2012. Pictured are the 2010 Spanish Grand Prix(left), and 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix(right), with the latter being his final race for McLaren.
In 2010, Hamilton was partnered by reigning World Drivers' Champion Jenson Button.[80] Whilst McLaren struggled to match the outright pace of Red Bull and Ferrari,[81][better source needed] Hamilton engaged in a four-way title battle throughout the season with Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber. At the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton secured McLaren's only pole position of the season, and took the championship lead after winning the race.[82] After several retirements during the latter half of the season, Hamilton lost points to his rivals and, ultimately, the championship lead.[83] He entered the final round of the season with an outside chance of winning the title, but finished fourth in the standings as Vettel won his maiden title.[84]
2011 emerged as a challenging year for Hamilton, marking the first season he had been out-scored by a teammate, as Button finished runner-up to Vettel. Drawbacks in his private life, as well as multiple run-ins with FIA officials, contributed to inconsistent performances from Hamilton throughout the season.[85] Hamilton finished fifth in the standings with three race wins; he secured the only non-Red Bull pole position of the season at the Korean Grand Prix, and vowed he would return to form for 2012.[86] That season, Hamilton finished fourth in the standings and achieved four race wins amidst several operational failures and reliability issues, akin to the 2010 season.[87][88]Motorsport.com analysis revealed Hamilton had lost an estimated 110 points due to race retirements and other misfortunes, taking him out of a potential title fight.[89] Prior to the end of the year, Hamilton announced—to widespread surprise—that he would be joining Mercedes for the 2013 season, replacing the retiring Michael Schumacher.[90]
Upon signing with Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton was reunited with his childhood karting teammate, Nico Rosberg. The move was met with surprise by pundits and the public, with some describing the move to Mercedes—a team with no recent history of success—as a gamble.[91][92] In his first season with the Brackley-based team, Hamilton secured a sole race victory, winning the Hungarian Grand Prix from pole position.[93] With four further podium finishes and pole positions, Hamilton finished fourth in the standings for the third time in five years.[90]
Changes to engine regulations for the 2014 season, which mandated the use of turbo-hybrid engines, contributed to the start of a highly successful era for Hamilton. Mercedes won 16 of the 19 races held that season; Hamilton secured a career-best 11 victories as he prevailed in a season-long duel for the title against teammate Rosberg. Clinching his second championship at the final race in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton declared over team radio it was "the greatest day of [his] life".[90]
Hamilton dominated the 2015 season, winning 10 races from a then-joint record 17 podium finishes, as he achieved his first back-to-back championships.[94]His rivalry with Rosberg intensified, climaxing in a heated battle at the United States Grand Prix, where Hamilton clinched the title with three races to spare.[90] Hamilton extended his contract with Mercedes for three additional years in a deal reportedly worth more than £100 million;[95][96] the deal allowed Hamilton to retain his own image rights and keep his championship-winning cars and trophies.[95]
Hamilton's engine failure at the Malaysian Grand Prix, as well as a series of troubled race-starts, were key moments as Hamilton lost the title to Rosberg in 2016.
In 2016, Hamilton finished runner-up in the championship to Rosberg by five points. Mercedes's policy of letting the pair fight freely led to several acrimonious exchanges both on- and off-track,[97] culminating in a collision at the Spanish Grand Prix. Hamilton defied team orders at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix—deliberately slowing Rosberg into the chasing pack at the end of the race, in an unsuccessful bid to encourage other drivers to overtake his teammate and hand the title to Hamilton.[98] A succession of poor race-starts from Hamilton early in the season, as well as an engine blowout at the Malaysian Grand Prix, meant Rosberg took the championship,[97] before announcing his shock retirement from the sport immediately after beating his rival.[90][99]
2017–2020: Four titles in a row
Following Rosberg's retirement, Ferrari's Vettel became Hamilton's closest rival as the pair exchanged the championship lead throughout 2017 in a tense title fight. Hamilton registered 11 pole positions that season as he took the record for the all-time most pole positions, and his consistency (finishing every race in the points), as well as a lack of a serious challenge from his new team-mate Valtteri Bottas, saw him record nine race victories and secure his fourth World Drivers' title as he overturned a points deficit to Vettel in the first half of the season, ultimately wrapping the title up in Mexico with two races to spare.[90]
The 2018 season was the first time in the sport that two four-time World Champions (Hamilton and Vettel) competed for a fifth title.
The 2018 season was the first time that two four-time World Champions, Hamilton and Vettel, would be competing for a fifth title and was billed as the "Fight for Five" by journalists and fans.[100][101][102] As with the 2017 season, Ferrari and Vettel appeared to have the upper hand for much of the season, topping the standings until the half-way point; however, Vettel's season unravelled with a number of driver and mechanical errors, while Hamilton's run of six wins in seven in the latter half of the season saw Hamilton clinch the title at the Mexican Grand Prix for a second year running as he set a new record for the most points scored in a season (408).[90][99] During the season, Hamilton signed a two-year contract with Mercedes, reported to be worth up to £40 million per year, making him the best-paid Formula One driver in history.[103]
Hamilton led the Drivers' Championship standings for the majority of the 2019 season, fending off title challenges from team-mate Bottas, Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's recently promoted Charles Leclerc, to clinch his sixth Drivers' crown at the United States Grand Prix with two races remaining.[104][105] After scoring his sixth career grand slam at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of the season, Hamilton ended the season with 11 wins (matching his previous best in 2014 and 2018) and 17 podiums (matching the all-time record for a fourth time) as well as achieving 5 pole positions.[106] His total of 413 points for the season was a new all-time record, seeing the Briton finish 87 points clear of second-placed Bottas.[107]
Hamilton won his seventh Drivers' title in 2020, equalling the record set by Schumacher, in a season heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.[108][109] Over the shortened seventeen-race season, Hamilton took 11 wins (equalling his previous personal best, in fewer races) including one in Portugal to break Schumacher's record of 91 wins.[110] He also took 14 podiums and 10 pole positions. Hamilton missed the Sakhir Grand Prix after contracting COVID-19,[111] his first race absence since his debut in 2007.[112] In a race drawing parallels with Senna's win at the 1993 European Grand Prix,[113] Hamilton clinched the title at the Turkish Grand Prix with three rounds to spare and ended the season 124 points clear of his team-mate, Bottas, who finished second in the standings.[114] Amid Formula One's We Race as One campaign and growing global support for the Black Lives Matter movement, Hamilton took the knee ahead of every race he entered and wore t-shirts bearing the Black Lives Matter slogan.[115] Hamilton and Bottas' Mercedes W11 cars also sported a black livery as a statement of Mercedes's commitment to diversity.[116]
2021: Title battle vs. Verstappen
Hamilton (left) and Verstappen (right), pictured at the United States Grand Prix, frequently exchanged the championship lead throughout the 2021 season, and entered the final round equal on points.
Regulation changes for the 2021 season saw Red Bull make relative performance gains on Mercedes, winning five consecutive races and acquiring the championship lead,[117][118] Red Bull's Verstappen and Hamilton emerged as title favourites early on in the season.[119] The pair engaged in several on-track battles—including controversial collisions in Britain, Italy and Saudi Arabia—and finished 1–2 at 14 of 22 Grands Prix.[120][121] Hamilton achieved his 100th pole position and race win at the Spanish and Russian Grands Prix, respectively, becoming the first driver to achieve either feat.[122][123] Winning three of the last four races, including a recovery drive at the São Paulo Grand Prix—which was acclaimed as one of his greatest performances—saw Hamilton eliminate a 19-point deficit to Verstappen,[124][125][126] entering the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix level on points.[127] In Abu Dhabi, having led the majority of the race, Hamilton was denied the championship by a last-lap overtake from Verstappen following a late safety car.[128]
The season finale was marred by controversy over race director Michael Masi's decision to instruct the lapped cars separating Verstappen and Hamilton to un-lap themselves under the safety car, which closed the gap between the pair and allowed Verstappen, who opted to pit for soft tyres, to enter the final lap immediately behind Hamilton, who remained on worn hard tyres.[129][130] Four days after the race, the FIA announced that it would conduct an internal investigation into the incident.[131] Masi was subsequently removed from his role as race director,[132] with the FIA World Motor Sport Council report finding that "human error" resulted in the failure to follow Formula One Sporting Regulations concerning the withdrawal of the safety car, adding that the final standings are "valid, final and cannot now be changed".[133] Notwithstanding the controversy in Abu Dhabi, BBC Sport's Andrew Benson described the season as "one of the most intense, hard-fought battles in sporting history", with Hamilton and Verstappen having "been head and shoulders—and a lot more—clear of every other driver on the grid".[129]
2022–2024: Mercedes' struggles and departure
We dreamed alone, but together we believed. Thank you for all the courage, the determination, the passion, and for seeing me and supporting me. What started out as a leap of faith turned into a journey into the history books. We did everything together and I’m so so grateful to everyone.
Partnered by George Russell in place of the departing Bottas,[135] the 2022 season marked the first time in Hamilton's Formula One career where he failed to secure at least a race win or a pole position. The season saw significant changes in technical regulations which utilised ground effect. The innovative and radically different Mercedes W13, suffered with severe porpoising early in the season,[136] leading Hamilton to deem it "undrivable" on multiple occasions,[137] and causing him to sustain back injuries in Azerbaijan.[138] Hamilton frequently experimented with car setups to aid the W13's development, and find performance during the opening stages of the season to little success.[139][140] Following major mid-season car upgrades, he achieved several podium finishes, including five consecutively from Canada to Hungary.[140][141] Hamilton set several driver records across his sixteenth season, including most consecutive seasons with a podium finish, and a lap led.[142] The season also marked Hamilton finishing behind his teammate in the standings for the first time since 2016, finishing sixth, 35 points behind Russell in fourth.[143]
Mercedes once again faced concerns over their car's competitiveness ahead of the 2023 season.[144] Hamilton endured another winless campaign amidst Red Bull's record-breaking dominance, securing several podium finishes throughout. Hamilton took pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix—his first since 2021, and his record ninth at the Hungaroring—surpassing Senna and Schumacher for the most pole positions at a single circuit.[145] Prior to the Italian Grand Prix, Hamilton signed a two-year contract extension worth over £100 million to remain with Mercedes through the 2025 season.[146][147] Hamilton finished third in the standings, and was voted the second-best driver across the season by the rest of the drivers, as well as fifth-best by the team principals.[148][149]
Prior to the start of the 2024 season, Hamilton triggered an exit-clause in his Mercedes contract, allowing him to leave the team at the end of his campaign, a year before his contract was due to expire.[150] Hamilton explained the decision was one of his hardest to make, adding that he needed a new challenge and a different work environment.[151] Mercedes' inconsistent form, coupled with Hamilton's qualifying difficulties, resulted in another challenging season in 2024,[152][153][154] with Hamilton admitting he was "looking forward to the end [of the season]".[155] Mercedes' short-lived resurgence during the European rounds enabled Hamilton to deliver his ninth British Grand Prix victory,[156][157] which ended his 31-month winless drought; he broke the record for most wins at the same Grand Prix and became the first driver to win beyond their 300th start.[158] Hamilton secured his 200th podium finish in Hungary,[159] and another victory at the Belgian Grand Prix.[160] After a series of races with fluctuating results, Hamilton ended the season a career-lowest seventh in the championship—22 points behind teammate Russell—marking the end of his Mercedes career,[161][162] which was the most successful driver-constructor partnership in Formula One history by several metrics.[note 3]
Ferrari (2025)
Following the announcement of Hamilton's departure from Mercedes, Ferrari announced they had reached a multi-year agreement with Hamilton to join the team in 2025, on a contract reportedly worth around £41 million per year, replacing Carlos Sainz Jr. to partner Charles Leclerc.[165][166][167] Hamilton stated it was a "childhood dream" to drive for Ferrari.[168] Luke Smith of The Athletic described the move as "one of the biggest driver transfer shocks the sport has known", recalling his similar shock move from McLaren to Mercedes back in 2013.[165] This transition marks the first time in his Formula One career that Hamilton will not drive for a Mercedes-powered team.[169]
Hamilton is regarded as one of the most complete drivers on the grid,[170] excelling across a wide range of areas.[171] He has been described as having an aggressive driving style,[172] with a natural aptitude for identifying the limits of the car; Mark Hughes, writing for the official Formula One website, described how Hamilton is "super-hard on the brakes ... but has a fantastic ability to match how quickly the downforce is bleeding off with his modulation of the pressure so that there's no wasted grip but no locked wheels either."[173][174]Paddy Lowe, previously the engineering director for McLaren, described how Hamilton is comfortable with levels of rear instability that most other drivers would find intolerable.[173] This aggressive driving style struggled to mesh with the characteristics of Formula One's current ground effect cars, primarily causing rear-end instability, hindered his qualifying performances during this period.[175][167]
Hamilton has also been praised for his ability to adapt to variances in the car set-up and changing track conditions; throughout his career, he has typically used less fuel than his teammates as a result of his ability to carry momentum through corners.[176]Pedro de la Rosa, a former test driver for McLaren who worked with Hamilton and Alonso, rated the pair as the best he had seen first hand, stating that they shared a strength in terms of "how much speed they can run into the apex [of a corner] and still have a decent exit speed", highlighting in particular their ability to maintain this speed when their rear tyres have lost grip during a longer stint.[19]
Hamilton has been praised for his consistency, especially in his time at Mercedes. From 2017 to 2018, he finished 33 consecutive races in point-scoring positions, a run brought to an end as a result of mechanical issues.[177][178]Ross Brawn wrote that "over the course of [2018], Hamilton hardly put a foot wrong, winning not only the races he should have, but also some where the opposition was stronger, and that is the true mark of a champion."[179] Ahead of the 2021 season, Martin Brundle, commentating for Sky Sports, said "I think what has stood out about Lewis over the years is how few mistakes he makes, how complete he is and clean ... he just never makes a mistake [in] wheel-to-wheel combat [or] in qualifying ... He just doesn't fade, mentally or physically."[180]
Hamilton is regarded as one of the best wet-weather drivers in the sport, with some of his best performances occurring in those conditions. In the 2008 British Grand Prix, Hamilton bested second-place Nick Heidfeld by over a minute, the largest margin of victory recorded since the 1995 Australian Grand Prix.[181][182] During the turbo-hybrid era, Hamilton remained unbeaten in every race affected by wet weather from the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix up to the 2019 German Grand Prix, where his almost five-year streak was broken by Max Verstappen.[183] His wet weather drive at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix where he clinched his seventh world title was widely acclaimed, with Joe Saward describing it as "one of his greatest performances".[113] Qualifying sixth for the race after Mercedes struggled with tyre temperatures and a track that lacked grip after being recently resurfaced, during the race he gambled on a one-stop strategy in mixed conditions whilst his rivals chose to change their tyres for a second time, enabling him to take the lead and win by over 30 seconds. His performance was contrasted with that of his team-mate Bottas, who spun four times and finished a lap down in 14th place.[184][185][186] Hamilton cited the race as his "stand-out" performance of the season.[187]
Hamilton is the most successful driver in Formula One history, holds the most amount of major driver records.
Ayrton Senna was a major influence on Hamilton's driving style, recalling: "I think it's partly because I watched [him] when I was young and I thought 'this is how I want to drive when I get the opportunity' and I went out there and tried it on the kart track. My whole approach to racing has developed from there."[188] He has been compared to Senna in raw speed.[189] In 2010, Hamilton drove Senna's original title-winning McLaren MP4/4 as part of a tribute documentary by the BBC motoring show Top Gear. In the documentary, along with fellow racing drivers, he named Senna as the number one driver ever.[190][191]
Earlier in his career, Hamilton was criticised for being hot-headed at times, as demonstrated when he was disqualified in Imola in the GP2 Series for overtaking the safety car, something he went on to repeat four years later in Formula One at the 2010 European Grand Prix in Valencia.[192] Following his move to Mercedes, Hamilton was credited with demonstrating greater maturity, while maintaining his ruthlessness and aggression. The official Formula One website describes him as "invariably a fierce but fair fighter".[90]
Reception
As a driver he is absolutely outstanding – as good as there's ever been. Apart from the talent, he's a good guy, he gets out on the street and supports and promotes Formula One. He is box office, 100 per cent.
Hamilton has been described as the best driver of his generation,[94][97][113] and one of the greatest Formula One drivers[66][67][194] including by Chase Carey and Martin Brundle.[195][196] Several Formula One drivers and experts have described Hamilton as the greatest Formula One driver of all time.[note 4] Writing in Autocar, Jim Holden suggested Hamilton might not only be among the greatest British drivers in Formula One but one of the greatest British sportsmen.[208] Amongst receiving plaudits from experts and fans in and out of the sport, Hamilton has been a divisive figure in the eyes of the general public, with some journalists arguing his exploits on the track have been underappreciated.[209][210][211] Holden has suggested that racial bias may have contributed towards Hamilton's perceived lack of popularity relative to his achievements, with Hamilton's race and physical appearance – being mixed-race and often seen sporting earrings, braids and designer clothing – alienating some of the sport's traditional white, elderly male fanbase.[208] Others have attributed his lack of appreciation to the perceived predictability of results during the turbo-hybrid era, likening his period of dominance to that of Schumacher in the early 2000s, and to tennis players Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova, all of whom became more appreciated in the latter part of their careers.[208][212]
What strikes me now about him now is his maturity ... [Hamilton] recognises he is a role model and the influence he has and the responsibilities that come with it. He is far broader than purely a driver in [Formula One]. He has opinions about the environment, young people, fashion and music. That is part of the greater appeal of Lewis today.
—David Richards, chairman of Motorsport UK, speaking of Hamilton in 2019[213]
Hamilton's jet-set lifestyle and interests outside Formula One have been scrutinised.[214] He has been praised for disregarding convention and public opinion and has been described as one of the last superstar drivers.[212][215] Between race weekends Hamilton has on several occasions travelled around the world to explore a variety of interests, such as in 2018 where, after winning the Italian Grand Prix, Hamilton flew to Shanghai and New York where he released his own designer clothing line with Tommy Hilfiger, before flying immediately back to, and winning, the next race in Singapore.[215] His Mercedes team-boss Toto Wolff has been vocal in his support for Hamilton's off-track pursuits, explaining how freedom allows Hamilton to function at his best.[210]
Figures in the sport, such as Emerson Fittipaldi and Christian Horner, have voiced their support for Hamilton's ability to connect with fans, while Bernie Ecclestone frequently commented on his admiration of Hamilton's ability to promote the sport, observing how he is happy to engage with fans, unlike some of his peers.[214] In 2019, The Telegraph sports journalist Luke Slater went as far as to argue that "[t]here have been few better representatives of the sport than Hamilton ... [both] on and off the track."[216] Following Hamilton's knighthood in 2020,[217] newly appointed Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali said that Hamilton is "a true giant of our sport" and that "his influence is huge both in and out of a car".[218]
He was able to win with a dominant car, with a good car like 2010 or 2012, or with bad cars like 2009 and 2011. Not all the champions can say that.
A prodigious talent as a teenager, Hamilton established himself as one of the world's best drivers following his record-breaking rookie year. Paddy Lowe has suggested that "he turned out to be the best rookie there has ever been" and that "his first half-season is just the most extraordinary in history."[19] After his first world title a year later, many people considered Hamilton the best driver of his generation.[21] Following Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel's four-year dominance of the sport, Hamilton's resolve was tested both professionally and personally as he did not finish higher than fourth in the Drivers' Championship from 2009 to 2013, leading some to question his status as the best driver in the sport.[220] In spite of this, Hamilton's less successful years with McLaren have also been cited as a demonstration of driving ability as Hamilton has won at least one race in fifteen consecutive seasons,[67] attracting high praise from experts and fellow drivers for extracting race-winning performances from cars that were not dominant.[219][221]
After Hamilton clinched his second and third World Championship titles with Mercedes in 2014 and 2015, David Coulthard declared Hamilton the best driver of his generation, calling him "the Ayrton Senna of his era".[94] As Hamilton became more widely considered the best driver of his era, public and expert debate moved from his status in modern Formula One to his status among the greatest drivers in history.[220] The next few seasons saw Hamilton eclipse a number of records, including achieving the most all-time pole positions ahead of Michael Schumacher, leading him to be regarded by some as the greatest qualifier in history.[222][223] After winning his fourth and fifth world titles, Hamilton's place among the greats of the sport became firmly established in the opinions of experts, rivals, and teammates alike,[224][225][226] including among others Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr.,[227]Felipe Massa,[228]Gerhard Berger,[229] and Ross Brawn.[230] Some journalists and pundits also consider the possibility of Hamilton being the greatest Formula One driver of all time.[231][232]
Following Hamilton clinching a sixth World Drivers' Championship title in 2019, ex-Formula One driver and pundit Johnny Herbert acclaimed Hamilton as the greatest driver ever,[199] while Formula One staff writer Greg Stuart described Hamilton as "arguably the most complete Formula [One] driver ever".[170] After Hamilton won his seventh title in 2020, John Watson stated that Hamilton "is, by a million miles, the greatest driver of his generation and you can argue he will go on to be the greatest Formula One driver of all time", and highlighted his fearlessness as being key to his success, as evidenced by his performance against double world champion team-mate Alonso in his rookie season and his decision to leave McLaren for Mercedes.[202]
Helmet
Hamilton's 2007 helmet for McLaren
From a young age, Hamilton's helmet throughout his karting years was predominantly yellow with blue, green and red ribbons. In later years, a white ring was added and the ribbons were moved forward to make room for logos and advertisement space.[233] Hamilton continued to run a yellow design throughout the early stages of his Formula One career, but in 2014 decided to switch to a white design with three red ribbons on the side.[234] In 2016, Hamilton added three stars beneath the ribbons, representing each of his World Drivers' Championships. Hamilton selected his helmet design from fan submissions in 2017;[235] the winning design used a white and yellow base colour with red and orange details.[236] Over the following seasons, Hamilton began a tradition of adding more stars to his helmet upon winning each title.[237] Having switched back to a 2014-inspired white-and-red design in 2018,[238] Hamilton opted a different colour palette in 2020, which used matte black as base colour with purple details; he later added a Black Lives Matter emblem to the lid, in support of the movement.[239] In 2022, Hamilton moved to a fluorescent yellow design, retaining the purple details and championship stars.[240]
Hamilton's first Mercedes helmet in 2013, featuring colour ribbons moved forward.
Hamilton has used several one-off helmet designs across his 18-year career. Hamilton sported gold helmets for season finales three times in his career. After winning his fourth title in 2017, he entered the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in a gold helmet with four stars adorning the top of the helmet with the words "World Champion".[241] He used similar designs in 2018 and 2019 with five and six stars, respectively.[237][242] This practice altered in 2020, when Hamilton wore his base helmet with gold outlines and accents, instead of a full gold design.
Hamilton's debut season saw him partner two-time and defending World Champion Fernando Alonso. In their time as teammates, tensions arose between the two drivers and McLaren as a result of several incidents. The first tensions surfaced after Hamilton finished second behind Alonso at Monaco in 2007.[250] After post-race comments made by Hamilton which suggested he had been forced into a supporting role, the FIA investigated whether McLaren had broken rules by enforcing team orders.[251] McLaren denied favouring Alonso, and the FIA subsequently vindicated the team, stating that "McLaren were able to pursue an optimum team strategy because they had a substantial advantage over all other cars ... nothing which could be described as interfering with the race result."[251]
Tensions surfaced again at the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix, where during the final qualifying session Hamilton went out on track ahead of Alonso and ignored requests from the team to let him through: the two drivers had been taking turns on a race-by-race basis to lead during qualifying, which gave the leading driver an edge due to the fuel load regulations then in place, and Alonso was due to lead in Hungary.[19] Hamilton was then delayed in the pits by Alonso and thus unable to set a final lap time before the end of the session.[252] Alonso was relegated to sixth place on the starting grid thus promoting Hamilton, who had qualified second, to first, while McLaren was docked Constructors' Championship points. Hamilton said he thought the penalty was "quite light if anything" and only regretted the loss of points.[253] Hamilton was reported to have sworn at Dennis on the team radio following the incident.[254] British motorsport journal Autosport claimed that this "[led] Dennis to throw his headphones on the pit wall in disgust: a gesture that was misinterpreted by many to be in reaction to Alonso's pole";[255] however, McLaren later issued a statement on behalf of Hamilton that denied the use of any profanity.[256]
As a result of the events over the 2007 season, the relationship between Hamilton and Alonso reportedly collapsed, with the pair not on speaking terms for a short period.[257][258] In the aftermath it was reported that Hamilton had been targeted by Luca di Montezemolo regarding a Ferrari drive for 2008.[259] The rivalry between the pair led to speculation that either Hamilton or Alonso would leave McLaren at the end of the season;[260][261][262] Alonso and McLaren terminated their contract by mutual consent in November that year, ending his and Hamilton's time as teammates.[72] In subsequent years, tensions between the pair dissipated, and the mutual respect has grown,[263] with Alonso praising Hamilton in 2017 saying "[Hamilton] was able to win with a dominant car, with a good car like 2010 or 2012, or with bad cars like 2009 and 2011. Not all the champions can say that."[219] Alonso later described Hamilton as one of the top five greatest drivers of all time.[66] On the cool-down lap after Alonso's final race before his two-year hiatus in 2018, Hamilton joined Sebastian Vettel in paying tribute to Alonso by driving, each on one side, in a formation to the start-finish straight where all three executed donuts.[264]
Whilst teammates, Hamilton and Alonso won eight of 17 races held. Both drivers achieved four victories and 12 podium finishes, whilst Hamilton outqualified Alonso 10 of 17 times. At the end of their season as teammates, the pair were tied on 109 points, with Hamilton placing second and Alonso third in the World Drivers' Championship by virtue of Hamilton having more second-place finishes.[265]
When Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013, he was paired alongside old karting teammate and friend Nico Rosberg. Over their four seasons as teammates, a period of Mercedes dominance in Formula One, the pair's relationship became strained and, at times, led to volatile confrontations on and off the track.[266] Hamilton and Rosberg were first teammates in 2000, when they were in karting.[267] They raced for Mercedes Benz McLaren in Formula A, where Hamilton became European champion, with Rosberg not far behind. Robert Kubica, who raced with them before Formula One, recalled how they were competitive both on and off the track, saying that "they would even have races to eat pizza, always eating two at a time."[268] Sports journalist Paul Weaver contrasts their upbringings;[268] Rosberg was born in Germany and raised in Monaco as the son of 1982 World Drivers' Champion Keke Rosberg, whereas Hamilton was raised on a council estate in Stevenage to a father who worked multiple jobs to fund his son's early karting career.[21]
Pundit and commentator Will Buxton compared the character and driving styles of the pair, labelling Hamilton as the faster driver with more natural ability, as well as an intellect to match Rosberg's.[192] Buxton wrote:
Man to man against Rosberg, I can't recall a single race this year where in the same machinery Hamilton's fuel usage has been higher. He has made his tires last. He has had to fight from the back of the field time and again (think Germany, think Hungary) and yet he hasn't overworked his tires, he hasn't used too much fuel. He has learned how to drive these new cars, and to extract the most from them using the least ... Far from the unintelligent chancer many paint Hamilton to be, he is proving to be the intellectual match of his teammate and, the better racer to boot.[192]
Their old karting boss, Dino Chiesa, said Hamilton was the faster driver whereas Rosberg, who once said to Chiesa "everything relates to physics and maths", was always more analytical.[21] This led some to believe that Rosberg would achieve greater success in Formula One, the highest level of open-wheel racing, due to the intellectual capacity required to manage brakes, energy harvesting, tyre management, and moderate fuel usage.[192] Hamilton's tyre management has frequently allowed him to push on for longer, often enabling optimum race strategies, and his fuel usage has regularly been better than almost anyone on the grid. Sky Sport's Mark Hughes, commented: "Rosberg has a more scientific methodology, looks to fine-tune more specifically than Hamilton who typically tends just to find a balance he can work with, then adapt his driving around it."[171][269]
In their time together as teammates, Hamilton and Rosberg won 54 of 78 races over four seasons. Hamilton had 32 victories, 55 podium finishes, and qualified ahead of Rosberg 42 times, while Rosberg had 22 victories, 50 podium finishes, and qualified ahead of Hamilton 36 times. During this period, Hamilton won two World Championship titles to Rosberg's one, and scored more points in three out of their four seasons together.[270]
Hamilton describes his rivalry with Sebastian Vettel as his favourite, believing their battles helped bring them closer together.[271] After three years of Mercedes's dominance from 2014 to 2016, Ferrari produced a car that was capable of fighting for the championship in 2017 and 2018.[272][273][274][275] Vettel, who was then driving for Ferrari, enjoyed an early lead on points, but Mercedes and Hamilton fought back and ultimately won the championships in both seasons. While there were some on-track flash points, most notably the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when Vettel accused Hamilton of brake checking and drove into Hamilton in retaliation, earning a penalty,[276] the pair developed a strong mutual respect in a hard but fairly contested fight.[277][278][279] In 2021, Hamilton recalled:
Mine and Seb's battle were my favourite so far. It's knowing I was racing against an incredible driver, not only that but a great man in Seb who is a four-time world champion and we were racing against another team, he was at Ferrari who were very strong at the time. It took a lot out of both of us in that period of time, to remain focused to deliver weekend in, weekend out. That was a difficult period for us and it brought us closer, because the respect we have between us is huge.[280]
Public image and influence
Racist treatment
Hamilton was racially abused by fans during 2010 pre-season testing at Jerez.
The first and as of 2024 the only black driver to race in Formula One, Hamilton has been subject to racist abuse throughout his career. In 2007, Hamilton suffered racist abuse from Spanish Formula One supporters at the Chinese Grand Prix.[281] In 2008, Hamilton was heckled and otherwise abused during pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya by several Spanish spectators who wore black face paint and black wigs, as well as shirts bearing the words "Hamilton's familly [sic]".[282] The FIA warned Spanish authorities about the repetition of such behaviour,[283] and launched a "Race Against Racism" campaign.[284] Shortly before the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, a website owned by the Spanish branch of the New York-based advertising agency TBWA and named pinchalaruedadeHamilton, which translates into English as "burst Hamilton's tyre", was featured in the British media. The site contained an image of Interlagos that allowed users to leave nails and porcupines on the track for Hamilton's car to run over. Among thousands of comments left since 2007, some included racial insults.[285] In 2021, Hamilton was subjected to online racist abuse following a controversial win at the British Grand Prix. Mercedes, Formula One, and the FIA issued a joint statement condemning the abuse and called for those responsible to be held accountable.[286]
Hamilton's treatment by the media and critics has, at times, been criticised as being racist. In 2014, The Guardian journalist Joseph Harker highlighted double-standards in Hamilton's treatment compared to other British drivers by British newspapers, suggesting that his skin colour has played a factor in a perceived lack of acceptance among the British public.[287] In 2019, footballer Rio Ferdinand described media scrutiny of Hamilton as having "racist undertones" and contrasted Hamilton's treatment to that of fellow British driver Jenson Button.[288] At the start of his Formula One career, Hamilton said that he "tried to ignore the fact [he] was the first black guy ever to race in the sport" but later stated that he had since grown to "appreciate the implications",[289] and changed his approach to promote equality within the sport.[290] In 2019, Toto Wolff, Hamilton's team boss at Mercedes, described how Hamilton was "scarred for life" by racist abuse inflicted during his childhood.[291]
Media reception
In December 2018, Stevenage-born Hamilton caused controversy at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards where he said on live television, "It really was a dream for us all as a family to do something different. For us to get out of the slums" before immediately correcting himself, saying, "Well, not the slums, but to get out of somewhere and do something. We all set our goals very, very high but we did it as a team." While Hamilton immediately sought to correct his remarks, the leader of Stevenage Borough Council described the comments as "disappointing" and observed that people felt "very offended".[292] Hamilton posted a video on Instagram in which he apologised for his comments, saying: "I'm super proud of where I come from and I hope you know that I represent in the best way I can always ... Particularly when you are up in front of a crowd, trying to find the right words to express the long journey you've had in life, I chose the wrong words."[293] The town mayor subsequently accepted his "gracious apology".[294]
Hamilton was one of several figures whose tax arrangements were singled out in a report by the charity Christian Aid in 2008.[302][303][304] That year, Hamilton received criticism from UK members of parliament for avoiding UK taxes.[305] Following the leak of the Paradise Papers in November 2017, it was reported that Hamilton had avoided paying £3.3 million of value added tax (VAT) on his private jet, worth £16.5 million.[306] According to BBC Panorama, the leasing deal set up by his advisers appeared to be "artificial" and "did not comply with an EU and UK ban on VAT refunds for private use". The BBC also said that Hamilton's Instagram account provided evidence that the jet was used for personal trips.[306] The jet was sold in September 2019.[307] Whilst not residing in the UK, HMRC data published in 2019 puts Hamilton among the top 5,000 highest UK tax payers. Hamilton told The Sunday Times in 2014: "What people don't realise is that I pay tax here [in the UK], but I don't earn all my money here. I race in 19 different countries, so I earn my money in 20 different places and I pay tax in several different places, and I pay a lot here [UK] as well. I am contributing to the country."[308][309]
Other ventures
Activism and philanthropy
Diversity and anti-racism
People come up to me from different ethnic backgrounds saying, "My kid wants to be you one day", and I can assure you that when I started racing, there weren't people from those [ethnic backgrounds]. I take great pride in that.
—Hamilton in 2017 commenting on his influence on minority representation in motorsport[310]
Hamilton is a prominent advocate against racism and for increased diversity in motorsport.[311][312] In 2011—after being summoned to the stewards in five of the opening six rounds—Hamilton quipped, "maybe it's because I'm black, that's what Ali G says."[313] In 2018, Hamilton criticised the lack of diversity in Formula One, stating "nothing's changed" in the 11 years since his debut.[314][315]
As part of the U.S. national anthem protests, Hamilton took the knee before every Grand Prix he entered in 2020, in support of Black Lives Matter, and wore t-shirts promoting racial justice.[115] Following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, Hamilton criticised prominent figures in Formula One for their silence on the issue, writing on Instagram:
I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars [sic] yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice. Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport. I'm one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone. [...] I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can't stand alongside us. Just know I know who you are and I see you. [...] We are not born with racism and hate in our hearts, it is taught by those we look up to.[316][317][318]
Following Hamilton's comments, several drivers and team executives reciprocated his views.[319][320]Ross Brawn, managing director for Formula One, stated that the organisation "supports [Hamilton] totally", describing Hamilton as "a great ambassador for the sport".[321] During the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix weekend, including on the podium, Hamilton wore a t-shirt stating "arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor". Following an investigation, the FIA barred drivers from wearing unofficial attire on the podium and in media interviews.[322] In anticipation of the FIA's decision, Hamilton said that he recognised that they have "certain limits that they feel that they have to work within", but he "[didn't] regret a single moment of it" and appreciated the "really positive support from the fans".[312]
In June 2020, Hamilton established The Hamilton Commission with the Royal Academy of Engineering, tasked with finding ways for motorsport to engage more black people with STEM subjects and increase employment in motorsport or other engineering sectors.[323][324] In May 2021, Hamilton became the inaugural recipient of the Laureus Athlete Advocate of the Year Award.[325] Hamilton founded Mission 44 in July 2021, a charity designed to help young people from under-represented backgrounds achieve their ambitions in wider society. Hamilton pledged £20 million to support the work of the charity.[326] Mission 44 collaborates with a joint foundation between Hamilton and Mercedes called Ignite, which was also launched in July.[327] Ignite focuses on increasing diversity in motorsport by improving opportunities in education and offering financial support.[328]
Human rights
In December 2020, Hamilton confronted human rights in Bahrain and spoke out on allegations of sportswashing. Hamilton said he "won't let it go unnoticed" after an 11-year-old boy wrote a letter to Hamilton asking him to save his father, who was facing the death penalty after making an alleged forced confession.[329][330] Hamilton discussed the case with human rights organisations and legal experts, as well as Bahraini officials. He stated that whilst he has no authority over where he competes, drivers should not "[go] to these countries and just [ignore] what is happening".[331]
Hamilton has repeatedly discussed environmental issues and animal rights at conferences, in interviews and in documentaries.[335][336] He also uses his social media platforms to gather support for his initiatives,[337] which range from urging China to reclassify dogs as pets instead of livestock,[338] and backing charities which fight the illegal wildlife trade,[339] to calling for the protection of the Amazon rainforest.[340] In January 2020, he donated US$500,000 (approximately £383,000) to a variety of causes relating to the bushfire crisis in Australia.[341] The money went towards the fire services and animal welfare charities.[342]
In 2019, Hamilton asked Mercedes-Benz to swap animal-derived leather in the company's models worldwide: "I am trying to push for sustainability with my team. I am trying to get more involved in Formula 1 and be more conscious. Mercedes-Benz is a huge organisation. I have got a phone call with the CEO later today to discuss how we can work on getting rid of all the leather supplied to the cars. That is something I want to be involved in."[343][344] The next year, he announced his aim of being carbon neutral by the end of the year, saying: "I don't allow anyone in my office, but also within my household, to buy any plastics. I want everything recyclable, down to deodorant, down to toothbrush, all these kinds of things ... I'm trying to make as much change as I can in my personal space. I sold my plane over a year ago. I fly a lot less now. I'm trying to fly less through the year."[345]
UNICEF and #TOGETHERBAND
In 2012, Hamilton began working with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). In March 2012, Hamilton travelled to the Philippines where he made a short film about Manila'sstreet children. The film was shown on ITV1 during Soccer Aid and helped raise over £4.9 million for UNICEF.[346][347][348] In October 2012, while in India for the Grand Prix, Hamilton visited a UNICEF-funded newborn care unit and nutrition centre. Hamilton said: "As a sportsman in the public eye, I know I have a role to play in helping to tell the stories of the world's most vulnerable children and I jumped at the chance to be able to do that again after a visit to Manila."[349][350][351]
In 2014, Hamilton travelled to Haiti where he made a short film about child malnutrition. The film was shown on ITV1 during Soccer Aid, and helped raise over £6 million for UNICEF.[352][353][354] In 2015, Hamilton took part in an exhibition to highlight UNICEF's work and to celebrate its twenty-year partnership with Starwood Hotels.[355][356] In June 2017, Hamilton joined the Super Dads initiative, a special UNICEF campaign that highlighted the critical role played by fathers in early childhood development.[357][358][359] In August 2017, Hamilton visited Havana with UNICEF to learn more about its first development programmes in Cuba.[360][361]
In 2020, Hamilton partnered with charity campaign #TOGETHERBAND to help promote the United Nations' 17 Global Goals. As part of his campaign work, Hamilton visited Alperton Community School in North West London to speak to the students about the importance of education. Hamilton is a GOAL 4 Ambassador, focusing on the fight to provide quality education to all children.[362]
Other charities
Over the past decade, Hamilton has made time for a variety of good causes, such as making donations and hospital visits to sick children.[363][364][365] He has invited fans, young people,[366][367] and their families to join him at Grand Prix races and social events.[368][369][370] In 2013, he became the Global Education Ambassador for Save the Children, supporting and promoting its education campaigns.[371][372][373] Two years later, Hamilton became the first ambassador for the Invictus Games Foundation, supporting wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women.[374][375][376] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamilton's Neat Burger restaurant donated free meals to frontline NHS workers.[377][378] Neat Burger also launched the "Kids Eat Free" scheme, serving free meals to school children during the half-term break.[379][380]
Hamilton often donates personal and professional paraphernalia for charity auctions.[381][382][383] He auctioned a racing kart and raised over £42,000 for St Thomas' Hospital baby charity.[29] He raised £6,411 for the Small Steps Project in 2018, and £6,000 in 2019.[384] In 2020, he raised another £4,000 for the Small Steps Project, while a donated race suit reportedly raised €20,000 for vulnerable children.[385] Hamilton also frequently attends charitable functions,[386][387] including the amfAR gala in New York,[388][389] and has supported projects and charities such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation,[390]Comic Relief,[391] Rays of Sunshine,[392]Children in Need,[393] and Stevenage's Keech Hospice Care Children's Service, among others.[394] He is also involved in charitable work through the creation of his Lewis Hamilton Foundation. Registered in June 2008, the foundation provides grants and donations to a number of charitable causes.[395][396]
Popular culture
Music
Hamilton also has interests in music, saying that "music has been a huge passion of mine since I was really young. I started playing guitar when I was 13. In here, I can be me, I can be vulnerable. I can show a side of me that people don't get to see."[397] He features on Christina Aguilera's 2018 song "Pipe" under the pseudonym XNDA, although he did not confirm this until July 2020, when he revealed he had been writing and recording music for ten years.[398][399]
Film and television
During his final year with McLaren, Hamilton voiced an animated version of himself in the short series Tooned. Hamilton also made a guest appearance in Cars 2 (2011) in which he voices an anthropomorphic version of himself.[400] He then voiced a voice command assistant in Cars 3 (2017).[401] Hamilton is credited as an executive producer for the 2018 documentary film The Game Changers.[402] Hamilton has also revealed he was offered a role as a fighter pilot in the film Top Gun: Maverick (2022) by Tom Cruise but was forced to decline due to his Formula One commitments.[403] He was one of the executive producers on Motorcycle Mary (2024), a short documentary film about Mary McGee.[404]
In October 2022, Hamilton founded the production company, Dawn Apollo Films. Its upcoming debut projects include a film titled F1 starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joseph Kosinski, and an untitled documentary film about Hamilton. Both projects will be co-produced by Hamilton, and released on Apple TV+.[405]
Video games
Hamilton served as the "maestro" of the Gran Turismo series since Gran Turismo Sport in 2017,[406] and his Time Trial Challenge DLC pack was released in that said game on 28 November 2019.[407] In November 2023, Epic Games added a cosmetic Hamilton player skin to Fortnite. A likeness of Hamilton's dog, Roscoe, was also added to the game.[408]
Fashion
In 2018, Hamilton launched the clothing line TOMMYXLEWIS during New York Fashion Week with American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger alongside models Winnie Harlow and Hailey Baldwin.[409] Hamilton stated "[g]rowing up, I remember seeing the iconic Tommy Hilfiger flag" and Hilfiger commented on Hamilton, saying that "Lewis is bold in everything he does ... He's not afraid to take risks. And he has a cool and sophisticated style that really speaks to the new generation of Tommy fans."[410]
Business
In September 2019, Hamilton launched a vegan restaurant named Neat Burger.[411] It claims to be the first international plant-based burger chain.[412] In 2020, Neat Burger was crowned Best Vegan Restaurant of the Year at the Deliveroo Restaurant Awards.[413] In August 2020, Daily Front Row listed Hamilton as one of a group of high-profile investors who purchased fashion magazine W.[414] In 2021, for the second consecutive year, Neat Burger was crowned Best Vegan Restaurant at the Deliveroo Restaurant Awards. Neat Burger was also named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals's inaugural Company of the Year.[415] Throughout 2021, Hamilton toured the world via PORTL hologram, first in Europe and then making its U.S. debut in Los Angeles in September.[416]
In September 2020, Hamilton launched Team X44 to compete in the all-electric SUV off-road racing series Extreme E from the 2021 season on.[417] The X44 team finished 2nd in the inaugural Extreme E championship, behind Nico Rosberg's RXR team.[418] In January 2022, X44 were crowned inaugural winners of Extreme E Sustainability Award.[419] The team won the 2022 Championship in the final race of the season, beating RXR, who were disqualified from the race.[420]
In 2017, Hamilton told the BBC that he had become vegan because "[a]s the human race, what we are doing to the world ... the pollution [in terms of emissions of global-warming gases] coming from the amount of cows that are being produced is incredible. The cruelty is horrible and I don't necessarily want to support that and I want to live a healthier life."[422] In 2018 he was named the PETA Person of the Year for his vegan activism.[423] The same year Hamilton said in an interview that he gave up drinking "a while ago".[424]
Hamilton used the number 44 in karts, as his father's Vauxhall Cavalier had the number plate "F44" when he started racing; it was his father's idea to use it.[425] New Formula One driver number regulations brought in for the 2014 season allowed drivers to pick a unique car number to use for the remainder of their careers, with Hamilton electing to compete under his old karting number 44.[426] Before the start of the 2015 season, Hamilton announced he would not be exercising his option of switching his car number to 1, as was his prerogative as reigning World Champion, and would instead continue to race with his career No. 44. It was the first season since 1994, when Alain Prost retired from the sport following his fourth and final World Drivers' Championship title in 1993, that the field did not contain a car bearing the No. 1.[427]
Hamilton is a Catholic; he says that he prays regularly and is guided by his faith.[432] Hamilton believes that he has the "hand of God" resting over him when racing in Formula One.[433][434] Hamilton revealed in March 2022 that he was in the process of legally changing his name to include his mother's maiden name, Larbalestier, as a middle name.[435] Hamilton was made an honorary citizen of Brazil on 9 June 2022 after a proposal made by politician André Figueiredo was passed in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies.[436] In an interview in September 2024, Hamilton stated he has been battling depression from the age of 13.[437]
Legal issues
Hamilton was suspended from driving in France for a month on 18 December 2007 after being caught speeding at 196 km/h (122 mph) on a French motorway. His Mercedes-Benz CLK was also impounded.[438][439] Two days before the 2010 Australian Grand Prix, Victoria Police witnessed Hamilton "deliberately losing traction" in his silver Mercedes-AMG C63, and impounded the car for 48 hours. Hamilton immediately released a statement of apology for "driving in an over-exuberant manner". After being charged with intentionally losing control of a vehicle, Hamilton was eventually fined A$500 (£288), being described as a "hoon" by the magistrate.[440][441][442]
In 2017 Hamilton's rights management company 44IP opposed Swatch Group's application to register a trade mark for "HAMILTON INTERNATIONAL" in Europe for the sale of watches and timepieces. This was likely to have been encouraged, or even required, by Hamilton's own watch sponsor.[speculation?] 44IP alleged that Swatch Group's application was made in bad faith and that it was contrary to "fair competition" in relation to 44IP's existing "LEWIS HAMILTON" mark. In 2020 the case was heard before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The EUIPO rejected 44IP's arguments, ruling that there had been no bad faith by Swatch Group (with "HAMILTON INTERNATIONAL" having been used on relevant goods since 1892) and that 44IP's "LEWIS HAMILTON" trade mark did not extend to the word "HAMILTON" alone for the purposes of protecting the existing mark.[443]
Residence
Hamilton moved to Luins, Vaud, Switzerland, in 2007, citing privacy as his main reason for leaving the UK. He later said on the television show Parkinson that taxation was also a factor in his decision.[444][445][446] In 2010, Hamilton, like many other Formula One drivers, moved to Monaco, purchasing a house worth a reported £10 million. Hamilton also owns an apartment in Manhattan, New York, which he bought for US$40 million in 2017, and an estate in Colorado where he has said he would live after his retirement.[447]
Wealth and income
In 2015 Hamilton was ranked as the richest British sportsperson, with an estimated personal fortune of £88 million.[448] In 2018 it was reported that Hamilton had a net worth of £159 million.[449] In 2020 Hamilton's fortune was an estimated £224 million, making him the richest British sports star in the history of the Sunday Times Rich List.[450] By 2022 that figure had increased to £300 million.[451]
Before the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton signed a contract to stay with Mercedes until the end of the 2018 season in a deal reportedly worth more than £100 million over the three years, making him one of the best-paid drivers in Formula One.[95] In the week leading up to the 2018 German Grand Prix, Hamilton signed a two-year contract with Mercedes, reported to be worth up to £40 million per year, making him the best-paid driver in the history of Formula One.[103] According to Forbes, Hamilton was one of the highest-paid athletes of the 2010s decade,[452] and also the highest-paid Formula One driver from 2013 to 2021.[453]
† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance. ‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.
^Hamilton was the first reigning world champion to decline to run the No. 1, deciding to stay with his old karting No. 44 from 2014.[2] He briefly ran the number 1 on the nose of his car in practice for the 2018 and 2019 Abu Dhabi Grands Prix after winning his fifth and sixth World Championships respectively, but was still officially entered under the number 44 and that figure still appeared on the engine cover.[3]
^Hamilton and Alonso both scored 109 points in 2007, with Hamilton classified ahead on count-back, by virtue of having more second-placed finishes.[70]
^Hamilton is the first black driver to compete in the Formula One World Championship,[500][501] and the second to drive a Formula One car after Willy T. Ribbs.[502]
^ abWolff, Alexander (12 June 2007). "Better Than Sex". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 21 January 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
^"The next big thing. The sky's the limit for British teenager Lewis Hamilton, whom McLaren is grooming for F1. And it's purely down to his talent". CAR Magazine. July 2002. pp. 146–149.
^"2006 GP2 SERIES - Standings". motorsportmagazine.com. Motor Sport Magazine. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
^ abcdefghDonaldson, Gerald (2018). "Lewis Hamilton – Hall of fame". Formula1.com. FIA Formula One World Championship Limited. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
^ abcGregory, Sean (20 December 2016). "The fastest man on wheels". Time Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
^ abScott, Matthew (18 April 2019). "Lewis Hamilton Biography". gpfans.com. GP Fans. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
^"2020 Driver Standings". formula1.com. FIA Formula One World Championship Limited. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
^Drohan, Freya (14 August 2020). "Investor Group including Karlie Kloss and Kaia Gerber acquire W magazine". Fashion Week Daily. Retrieved 4 October 2020. Sara Moonves, the glossy's first female editor in chief in its 50-year history, assembled the group, led by model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss. Other celebrity investors include fashion fixtures Lewis Hamilton and 18-year-old Kaia Gerber.
Hamilton, Lewis (2007). Lewis Hamilton: My Story (hardback ed.). London: HarperSport. p. 320. ISBN978-0-00-727005-7. (Also in paperback Lewis Hamilton: my story. HarperSport. 2008. p. 336. ISBN978-0-00-727006-4.)
Hughes, Mark (2007). Lewis Hamilton: The Full Story (hardback ed.). Thriplow: Icon Books Ltd. p. 224. ISBN978-0-00-727006-4. (Also in paperback as Mark Hughes (2008). Lewis Hamilton: the full story. Icon Books Ltd. p. 304. ISBN978-1-84046-941-7.)
Worrall, Frank (2007). Lewis Hamilton: The Biography (hardback ed.). London: John Blake Publishing. p. 306. ISBN978-1-84454-543-8. (Also in paperback Lewis Hamilton: The Biography. John Blake Publishing. 2008. p. 288. ISBN978-1-84454-581-0.)
Stafford, Ian (2007). Lewis Hamilton: New Kid on the Grid. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing Co. (Edinburgh) Ltd. p. 224. ISBN978-1-84596-338-5.
Belton, Brian (2007). Lewis Hamilton: A Dream Comes True. London: Pennant Publishing Ltd. p. 256. ISBN978-1-906015-07-7.
Rogers, Gareth (2007). Lewis Hamilton: The Story So Far (paperback ed.). Stroud: The History Press Ltd. p. 200. ISBN978-0-7524-4480-2.
van de Burgt, Andrew (2007). Lewis Hamilton: A portrait of Britain's new F1 hero (hardback ed.). Yeovil: J H Haynes & Co Ltd. p. 160. ISBN978-1-84425-480-4.
Jones, Bruce (2007). Lewis Hamilton: The People's Champion (ITV SPORT) (hardback ed.). London: Carlton Books Ltd. p. 128. ISBN978-1-84442-027-8.
Apps, Roy (2008). Lewis Hamilton (Dream to Win) (paperback ed.). London: Franklin Watts Ltd. p. 48. ISBN978-0-7496-8233-0.
Townsend, John (2008). Lewis Hamilton (hardback ed.). Oxford: Raintree Publishers. p. 32. ISBN978-1-4062-0953-2.
Spragg, Ian (2008). Lewis Hamilton: The Rise of F1's New Superstar. Bath: Parragon. ISBN978-1-4075-2104-6.
Worrall, Frank (2016). Lewis Hamilton: Triple World Champion: The Biography (paperback ed.). London: John Blake Publishing Ltd. p. 388. ISBN978-1-78606-033-4.
Artist-run space in Singapore The exterior of Plastique Kinetic Worms at 61 Kerbau Road, with its signboard subtitled as A contemporary art space organised and managed by artists. Plastique Kinetic Worms (PKW) was a Singapore-based artist-run space and contemporary art collective, co-founded in 1998 by Singaporean artists Vincent Leow and Yvonne Lee.[1] PKW was one of the few artist-run spaces in Singapore when it opened in the late 1990s, with the 1990 closure of the Ulu Sembawang si...
American politician (1772–1858) John Samuel Peters26th Governor of ConnecticutIn officeMarch 2, 1831 – May 1, 1833LieutenantThaddeus BettsPreceded byGideon TomlinsonSucceeded byHenry W. Edwards31st Lieutenant Governor of ConnecticutIn officeMay 2, 1827 – March 2, 1831GovernorGideon TomlinsonPreceded byDavid PlantSucceeded byVacant[1]Member of the Connecticut SenateIn office1818-1823Member of the Connecticut House of RepresentativesIn office1810-1818 Per...
У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Чёрное море (значения). Чёрное море Эвакуация Русской Армии из Крыма, наблюдаемая героями в финальной сцене Жанр либретто Автор Михаил Булгаков Язык оригинала русский Дата написания 1936 год Дата первой публикации 1988 год Вн...
Olga Sarzyńska Data i miejsce urodzenia 5 listopada 1984 Warszawa Zawód aktorka Lata aktywności od 2005 Zespół artystyczny Teatr Ateneum w Warszawie Multimedia w Wikimedia Commons Olga Sarzyńska Olga Sarzyńska (ur. 5 listopada 1984 w Warszawie) – polska aktorka teatralna, serialowa, dubbingowa i kabaretowa. Życiorys W 2007 roku ukończyła Akademię Teatralną w Warszawie. Opiekunem jej roku była Anna Seniuk. Jest aktorką warszawskiego Teatru Ateneum. Współpracuje także z ...
Constanza Localização Constanza Coordenadas 18° 54' 36 N 70° 45' O País República Dominicana Província La Vega Constanza é uma cidade e município da República Dominicana pertencente à província de La Vega. Sua população estimada em 2012 era de 59 052 habitantes.[1] Referências ↑ Censo 2012 de población y vivienda, Oficina Nacional de Estadística Fontes World Gazeteer: República Dominicana – World-Gazetteer.com Portal da República Dominicana vde Municíp...
Raimundo Roberto Morhy Barbosa (* 27. Februar 1955 in Belém, Pará) ist ein brasilianischer Lambada-Sänger und Komponist. Beto Barbosa Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Diskografie 3 Weblinks 4 Einzelnachweise Leben Beto Barbosa entstammt einer libanesischen Familie und begann eine musikalische Karriere in seiner Heimatstadt Belém. Die ersten großen Erfolge feierte Beto Barbosa nach seinem Umzug nach Fortaleza/Ceará, wo er neben Auftritten auch an politischen Kampagnen beteiligt war. In den 1...
Si ce bandeau n'est plus pertinent, retirez-le. Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus. Cet article ne cite pas suffisamment ses sources (février 2021). Si vous disposez d'ouvrages ou d'articles de référence ou si vous connaissez des sites web de qualité traitant du thème abordé ici, merci de compléter l'article en donnant les références utiles à sa vérifiabilité et en les liant à la section « Notes et références » En pratique : Quelles sources sont attendues ? C...
Touvedo Wappen Karte Touvedo (Portugal) Basisdaten Region: Norte Unterregion: Alto Minho Distrikt: Viana do Castelo Concelho: Ponte da Barca Koordinaten: 41° 48′ N, 8° 22′ W41.7973-8.3598Koordinaten: 41° 48′ N, 8° 22′ W Einwohner: 327 (Stand: 19. April 2021)[1] Fläche: 6,09 km² (Stand: 1. Januar 2010)[2] Bevölkerungsdichte: 54 Einwohner pro km² Postleitzahl: 4980-758 Politik Bürgermeister: J...
Chronologie de l'essaim de séismes de l'Ubaye 2003-2004. Chaque barre rouge représente le nombre de séismes détectés chaque jour (échelle de gauche). Plus de 16 000 séismes ont été détectés en deux ans. Les disques blancs correspondent aux ~1 400 séismes localisés (échelle de magnitude sur la droite)[1]. Pour un article plus général, voir Essaim de séismes. Plus que par des séismes classiques du type « choc principal + répliques » qui surviennen...
For the Avon Dam in Devon, England, see Dartmoor reservoirs. Dam in Avon Dam, New South WalesAvon DamThe curved arch dam wallLocation of Avon Dam in New South WalesLocationAvon Dam Road, Avon Dam, New South WalesCoordinates34°21′09″S 150°38′30″E / 34.3526341175°S 150.6415665100°E / -34.3526341175; 150.6415665100PurposePotable water supplyStatusOperationalConstruction began1921Opening date20 January 1928Construction costA£1,047,000Built byErn...
JacuípeMunisipalitasNegara BrasilNegara bagianAlagoasLuas • Total210,384 km2 (81,230 sq mi)Populasi (2010) • Total6.997 • Kepadatan0,033/km2 (0,086/sq mi) Jacuípe merupakan sebuah munisipalitas yang terletak di negara bagian Brasil di Alagoas. lbs Munisipalitas di AlagoasIbu kota: MaceióArapiraca Arapiraca Campo Grande Coité do Nóia Craíbas Feira Grande Girau do Ponciano Lagoa da Canoa Limoeiro de Anadia São Sebastião Taquar...
Public school in London, Ontario, CanadaLondon South Collegiate InstituteThe front entrance to South facing Tecumseh Ave.Address371 Tecumseh Avenue East, London, ON N6C 1T4London, Ontario, N6C 1T4CanadaCoordinates42°58′8.5″N 81°14′32.0″W / 42.969028°N 81.242222°W / 42.969028; -81.242222InformationSchool typePublicMottoVirtus Repulsae Nescia Sordidae(Courage will never know ignominious defeat.)Established1922School districtThames Valley District School Board...
Election in Kentucky Main article: 1948 United States presidential election 1948 United States presidential election in Kentucky ← 1944 November 2, 1948[1] 1952 → All 11 Kentucky votes to the Electoral College Nominee Harry S. Truman Thomas E. Dewey Party Democratic Republican Home state Missouri New York Running mate Alben W. Barkley Earl Warren Electoral vote 11 0 Popular vote 466,756 341,210 Percentage 56.74% 41.48% County Results Tr...
English footballer (born 1945) This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; try the Find link tool for suggestions. (March 2022) Frankie BanksPersonal informationFull name Francis Stanley Banks[1]Date of birth (1945-08-21) 21 August 1945 (age 78)Place of birth Hull, EnglandPosition(s) Right-backYouth career Southend UnitedSenior career*Years Team Apps (Gls)1962–1966 Southend United 4 (0)1966–1976 Hull C...
Colombian model, presenter, and beauty queen In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Vega and the second or maternal family name is Dieppa. Paulina VegaVega in 2018BornPaulina Vega Dieppa (1993-01-15) 15 January 1993 (age 30)Barranquilla, Atlántico, ColombiaEducationDeutsche Schule BogotáAlma materPontifical Xavierian University (BBA)OccupationsBeauty queenTV hostmodelbusinesswomantelevision personalityHeight1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]Beaut...
Voce principale: Ascoli Calcio 1898. Ascoli Calcio 1898Stagione 1981-1982 Sport calcio Squadra Ascoli Allenatore Carlo Mazzone All. in seconda Mario Colautti Presidente Costantino Rozzi Serie A6º posto Coppa ItaliaPrimo turno Maggiori presenzeCampionato: Brini, Torrisi (30)Totale: Boldini, De Ponti, Torrisi (33) Miglior marcatoreCampionato: Pircher (6)Totale: Pircher (7) 1980-1981 1982-1983 Si invita a seguire il modello di voce Questa voce raccoglie le informazioni riguardanti l'As...
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