Lewis Hamilton

Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver who has competed in Formula One since 2007, currently driving for Ferrari, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest racing drivers in history, having equaled Michael Schumacher's record of seven World Drivers' Championships while holding the all-time records for most race wins (105), pole positions (104), and podium finishes (202)—statistics that have established him as Formula One's most successful driver by multiple measures and a transcendent figure whose impact extends far beyond motorsport into social activism, diversity advocacy, and popular culture. Born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England, to Anthony Hamilton, a Black British father of Afro-Grenadian descent, and Carmen Larbalestier, a White British mother from Birmingham, Hamilton's mixed-race heritage would later become central to his identity as Formula One's first and only Black driver.

Raised primarily by his father Anthony after his parents' separation, Hamilton began karting at age six when his father bought him a kart for Christmas, and he immediately demonstrated exceptional natural talent. At age ten, Hamilton approached McLaren team principal Ron Dennis at an awards ceremony and boldly declared, "Hi, I'm Lewis Hamilton, I won the British Championship, and one day I want to race for your team." Dennis was charmed and impressed, and in 1998 signed the 13-year-old Hamilton to the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Programme, providing financial support and guidance that would prove crucial to his development. Hamilton dominated every junior category he entered, winning the British Formula Renault Championship in 2003, the Formula Three Euroseries Championship in 2005 (winning 15 of 20 races), and the GP2 Series Championship in 2006 as a rookie—an unprecedented clean sweep that marked him as a generational talent.

For 2007, McLaren promoted Hamilton directly to Formula One alongside double World Champion Fernando Alonso, in one of the most anticipated rookie seasons in F1 history. What followed exceeded even the most optimistic predictions: Hamilton finished on the podium in his first nine races—including wins in Canada, USA, and Hungary—and arrived at the final race of the season with a legitimate chance to become the first rookie World Champion since Giuseppe Farina in 1950. In one of Formula One's most dramatic season finales, Hamilton lost the 2007 championship to Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen by a single point after a disastrous gearbox problem in Brazil left him stuck in the pit lane gravel trap. His relationship with Alonso had deteriorated throughout the season due to intense internal rivalry, culminating in the "Spygate" scandal that saw McLaren excluded from the Constructors' Championship, and Alonso's departure to Renault at season's end.

The 2008 season brought redemption when Hamilton won the World Championship in equally dramatic fashion at the final race in Brazil—overtaking Timo Glock on the last corner of the last lap in torrential rain to snatch the required fifth-place finish that gave him the title by a single point over Ferrari's Felipe Massa. At 23 years old, Hamilton became the youngest World Champion in history at the time and, more significantly, the first Black driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship—a groundbreaking achievement that transcended sport and inspired countless people of color worldwide. After five more seasons with McLaren (2009-2012) that produced multiple wins but no additional titles due to uncompetitive cars and strategic errors, Hamilton made the controversial decision to leave McLaren and join Mercedes for 2013, partnering his former karting teammate and friend Nico Rosberg.

The move was questioned by many who doubted Mercedes' championship potential, but Hamilton's gamble proved spectacularly prescient. When Formula One introduced hybrid power unit regulations for 2014, Mercedes emerged with a dominant technical advantage that would define the era, and Hamilton won his second World Championship, defeating Rosberg after an intense season-long battle. The Hamilton-Rosberg partnership became increasingly toxic through 2015-2016 as both drivers fought for supremacy, with multiple controversial on-track incidents including collisions at Spain and Austria that strained team relations. Hamilton successfully defended his title in 2015, but lost the 2016 championship to Rosberg by five points after suffering multiple reliability failures throughout the season.

Rosberg's shock retirement five days after winning the 2016 title brought a new era, as Hamilton was paired with Valtteri Bottas from 2017-2021, a partnership that proved far less contentious and allowed Hamilton to focus on challenging Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and later Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Hamilton won four consecutive World Championships from 2017-2020, matching Juan Manuel Fangio's five titles in 2018, equaling Michael Schumacher's seven titles in 2020, and setting numerous all-time records including most wins, pole positions, podiums, points scored, and races led. His 2020 campaign was particularly dominant, featuring 11 wins from 17 races (including a record-extending 92nd career win at the Portuguese Grand Prix, surpassing Schumacher) during the COVID-19-affected season.

The 2021 season produced one of Formula One's most controversial championships as Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen fought an epic season-long battle that went down to the final lap of the final race in Abu Dhabi. After both drivers won an equal number of races (10 each) and traded the championship lead multiple times, the title was decided in Verstappen's favor through a highly controversial Safety Car restart decision by race director Michael Masi that allowed Verstappen to overtake Hamilton on the final lap with fresh tires. The outcome devastated Hamilton, who briefly considered retirement, and sparked months of controversy that led to Masi's removal and regulation changes. Hamilton's form declined significantly in 2022-2023 as Mercedes struggled with uncompetitive cars under new technical regulations, marking his first winless seasons since 2013, though he continued to deliver strong performances and occasional podium finishes that showcased his enduring skill.

In a seismic announcement in February 2024, Hamilton revealed he would leave Mercedes and join Ferrari for 2025, fulfilling a lifelong dream to drive for Formula One's most iconic team in the twilight of his career. On 22 January 2025, Hamilton completed his first official test for Ferrari at the Fiorano Circuit, driving the SF-23 in Ferrari red—an image that marked the beginning of a new chapter in his legendary career. Beyond his on-track achievements, Hamilton has become Formula One's most prominent voice for social justice, diversity, and environmental causes. He has been outspoken about racism in motorsport, taken a knee before races to support the Black Lives Matter movement, established The Hamilton Commission to improve representation of Black people in UK motorsport, launched Mission 44 to support youth education and employment, promoted plant-based diets and environmental sustainability, and used his massive social media platform (over 40 million Instagram followers) to advocate for causes he believes in—often facing criticism and pushback but refusing to "stick to racing.

" He was knighted in the 2021 New Year Honours, becoming Sir Lewis Hamilton in recognition of his services to motorsport. Sir Lewis Hamilton's legacy extends far beyond his record-breaking statistics—he is a cultural icon who has transcended Formula One to become one of Britain's most recognizable and influential athletes, a champion of diversity and social justice, and an inspiration to millions worldwide who see themselves represented in Formula One's paddock for the first time through his presence. Whether he adds to his seven World Championships with Ferrari or concludes his career with his current achievements, Lewis Hamilton has secured his place not only as one of Formula One's statistically greatest drivers but as one of its most significant and transformative figures.