Lewis Hamilton: My Story

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But, he insists, it was not because he was Lewis Hamilton’s brother. “Ever since I’ve started racing, it’s been hard because people compare me to Lewis and say I’m only there because he’s a multimillionaire. Horner said in an interview: "We have had several conversations over the years about Lewis joining. They have reached out a few times. Most recently, earlier in the year, there was an inquiry about whether there would be any interest." I don’t know what Lewis was feeling in the car,” Lowe says, “but we just couldn’t believe we were having a repeat of the previous year. It was like, ‘God, what do we have to do around here to win a championship?’” Signing has shown my commitment to the team," he said. "Let's be realistic. Every single driver that's racing here dreams of being in the winning car. So a new contract seems inevitable, and he will start next season as hot favourite to win an eighth world title and move even further clear in the record books.

But the way he is living his life, the way he looks after himself, the veganism, the training that is constantly adapting to his age, the people he surrounds himself with, all this makes it possible for him to stretch his ability for top performance beyond an age where you would normally think about ending your career. I think he has many more years in him to perform at the top level.” 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.It is an activity that, in the words of Mercedes technical director James Allison, requires “sublime delicacy and unbelievable levels of concentration and precision”.

You wanted a driver who if your daughter brought them home, you’d think, ‘Oh, God, she’s going to get hurt,’ because they’re so selfish and self-possessed. 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.) Over the past few years, Hamilton has become increasingly vocal on causes that matter to him. It started with environmentalism, then veganism, which grew out of his concerns for the health of the planet. Then, as the death of George Floyd at the hands of US police sparked a global outcry in the summer of 2020, Hamilton found the voice to speak out on the horrors and injustices of racism, systemic and otherwise. When I see people criticise him for whatever lifestyle he may have led, well, they don’t really know him. What they see is his public persona. They see that he has money, gold chains and other bits and pieces, but that’s nothing. 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.”As much as I love Lewis to death, would I be happy for my daughter to bring him home? No. As part of the complex equation of talent, intensity, focus, they also have to have a bit of ruthlessness. 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." Wolff says: “He’s almost philosophical about certain things. He spends a lot of time thinking. He is someone who hasn’t built his whole life on one particular pillar. It all circles around his driving. He is the F1 world champion. But now he is the F1 world champion and he’s a fighter for diversity, a fighter against racism. These are topics that go far beyond the racing driver.