Lewis Hamilton

Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, born on 7 January 1985, is a British racing driver who now competes in Formula One for Ferrari. He is one of the greatest drivers in the sport’s history, sharing the record for the most Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles with seven wins, the same as Michael Schumacher. Hamilton also holds many important records, including the most race wins (105), pole positions (104), and podium finishes (203).

Hamilton grew up in Stevenage and started his career in karting at just six years old. He quickly showed great talent, winning many titles and catching the eye of Ron Dennis, who brought him into the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Programme in 1998. After success in junior racing, Hamilton entered Formula One in 2007 with McLaren, becoming the first black driver to race in the sport. His early years were full of achievements, and in 2008, he won his first championship in an exciting finish at the very last race of the season.

In 2013, Hamilton moved to Mercedes, where he achieved some of his biggest successes. He won multiple championships and broke many records, including his seventh title in 2020, tying Schumacher’s record. After many years with Mercedes, Hamilton joined Ferrari for the 2025 season. Beyond racing, Hamilton is known for using his voice to support important causes like racial justice and making motorsport more welcoming to everyone. His influence helped grow the popularity of Formula One around the world. In 2021, he was honored with a knighthood for his contributions to the sport.

Early life and education

Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born on 7 January 1985 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. His father, Anthony Hamilton, is of Afro-Grenadian descent, and his mother, Carmen Larbalestier, is White British from Birmingham. When Hamilton was two, his parents separated, and he lived with his mother and older half-sisters until he was twelve. After that, he lived with his father, stepmother Linda, and his half-brother Nicolas, who is also a professional racing driver. Hamilton was raised in the Catholic faith.

Hamilton’s father bought him a radio-controlled car when he was five, and he finished second in a national championship the next year. When he was six, his father bought him a go-kart for Christmas. To support Lewis’s racing, his father took on many jobs, including working as an IT manager, a double glazing salesman, and even putting up signs for estate agents. He also started his own IT company later on. Hamilton was educated at The John Henry Newman School, a voluntary aided Catholic secondary school in Stevenage. He took up karate at age five to help with bullying at school. Hamilton also played football for his school team with Ashley Young, who later played for England international teams. Hamilton is a big fan of Arsenal and said if racing didn’t work out, he might have become a footballer or cricketer. In February 2001, he began studies at Cambridge Arts and Sciences (CATS), a private sixth-form college in Cambridge.

Junior racing career

Karting

Lewis Hamilton began racing go-karts in 1993 and quickly started winning races. By the age of ten, he became the youngest winner of the British cadet karting championship. That same year, he met McLaren Formula One team boss Ron Dennis and told him, "Hi. I'm Lewis Hamilton. I won the British Championship and one day I want to be racing your cars." Dennis wrote in Hamilton's autograph book: "Phone me in nine years, we'll sort something out then."

When Hamilton was 12, a betting company predicted he would win a Formula One race before turning 23. In 1998, Dennis called Hamilton and offered him a place in the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Programme, which could lead to a future Formula One seat.

Formula Renault and Formula Three

Hamilton started his car racing career in 2001. In 2002, he finished third in the British Formula Renault series and fifth in the Formula Renault Eurocup. He won the British Formula Renault championship in 2003 with ten victories from fifteen races. Later that year, he made his debut in the British Formula 3 Championship but faced some challenges in his first races.

Hamilton continued racing in Formula 3, finishing fifth in the 2004 championship and winning the Bahrain F3 Superprix. He had his first Formula One test with McLaren in late 2004. In 2005, he dominated the Formula 3 Euro Series, winning fifteen of twenty races and earning thirteen pole positions.

GP2

In 2006, Hamilton moved to the GP2 series and won the championship in his first try. He achieved notable victories, including a dominant win at the Nürburgring and a strong performance at his home race in Silverstone. He secured the title with a point he earned after another driver lost a fastest lap award.

Formula One career

McLaren (2007–2012)

Hamilton joined McLaren in 2007 after showing great promise in lower racing series. In his first season, he made history by becoming the first black driver to compete in Formula One. He set many records, including the most points scored by a new driver in a season, and finished second in the championship. The following year, in 2008, Hamilton won his first World Championship title by overtaking another driver on the last lap of the final race.

During his later years with McLaren, Hamilton continued to win races and battle for titles. However, he faced many challenges, including mechanical problems and tough competition from other teams. In 2012, after 15 years with McLaren, Hamilton decided to leave the team to join Mercedes.

Mercedes (2013–2024)

In 2013, Hamilton joined Mercedes and was reunited with a childhood racing friend. His first few years with Mercedes were mixed, but in 2014, the team began to dominate, and Hamilton won his second World Championship. He went on to win four more titles in a row from 2017 to 2020, matching the record for the most championships ever.

In 2021, Hamilton had a fierce battle for the championship with another driver, coming very close but missing out on the title in the final race. Over the next few years, Mercedes struggled with new car designs, and Hamilton did not win any races. In 2024, after many years with Mercedes, Hamilton decided it was time for a new challenge.

Ferrari (2025–present)

In 2025, Hamilton joined Ferrari, a team he had dreamed of driving for as a child. This move surprised many people because he had always driven for teams using Mercedes engines before. In his first season with Ferrari, Hamilton faced difficulties adapting to the new cars and had mixed results. He is working closely with the team to help improve their performance for future seasons.

Driver profile

Hamilton is regarded as one of the most complete drivers on the grid, excelling across a wide range of areas. He has been described as having an aggressive driving style, with a natural ability to identify the limits of the car. He has also been praised for his ability to adapt to changes in car setup and track conditions. Hamilton is known for his consistency, especially during his time at Mercedes.

Hamilton is regarded as one of the best drivers in wet weather. Some of his best performances have occurred in these conditions. He has also been influenced by other drivers in his style and approach to racing.

Hamilton has faced challenges and criticism throughout his career, but has continued to demonstrate maturity and skill. He is often described as a fierce but fair competitor.

In addition to his driving skills, Hamilton has been recognized for his contributions beyond the track. He has been praised for his ability to connect with fans and promote the sport. His lifestyle and interests outside of racing have also been noted, particularly his travels and various pursuits.

Hamilton has established himself as one of the world's best drivers and has achieved significant success in his career. He has won multiple World Championship titles and has been recognized by experts and fans as one of the greatest drivers in the sport. His ability to perform well in different conditions and with different cars has earned him respect from his peers and fans alike.

Other ventures

Hamilton is well-known for his work to support fairness and opportunity for everyone. He has spoken out about the need for more people from different backgrounds to be included in racing. In 2020, he showed his support for important social movements by taking a moment of silence before races and wearing messages about justice. He also started projects to help young people from less advantaged backgrounds achieve their dreams, promising money to support these efforts.

Hamilton also cares deeply about helping children and has worked with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for many years. He has visited places where children face big challenges, like poverty and hunger, and has helped raise money to support them. Through his foundation and other charitable activities, Hamilton supports many causes, including education, healthcare for children, and helping those affected by illness or hardship. He also uses his fame to raise awareness and funds for these important issues.

Personal life

In 2017, Lewis Hamilton told the BBC that he became a vegan because he was concerned about the impact of animal farming on the environment and wanted to live a healthier life. In 2018, he was named the PETA Person of the Year for his support of vegan ideas. That same year, he said in an interview that he gave up drinking "a while ago".

Hamilton chose the number 44 for his racing cars, inspired by his father’s old car license plate "F44". When Formula One allowed drivers to pick permanent numbers, he kept using 44. Before the 2015 season, he decided not to switch to the number 1, even though he had won the championship the year before.

Hamilton enjoys art and mentions Andy Warhol as one of his favorite artists. He is a Catholic and says his faith guides him. In March 2022, he announced plans to change his legal name to include his mother’s maiden name, Larbalestier. In June 2022, he became an honorary citizen of Brazil.

In September 2024, Hamilton shared that he had faced challenges since he was 13, linking these to pressures from racing and school.

Awards and honours

Formula One

Lewis Hamilton has won many important awards in Formula One racing. He has won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship seven times. He also received the DHL Fastest Lap Award, the FIA Pole Trophy, the Hawthorn Memorial Trophy, the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy, the FIA Action of the Year, and the FIA Personality of the Year.

Other awards

Main article: List of career achievements by Lewis Hamilton § Awards

Hamilton has been recognised with many other awards outside of Formula One. He won the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Award and shared the Sportsman of the Year Award with Lionel Messi. He also received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award, the European Sportsperson of the Year, the Best Driver ESPY Award, L'Équipe Champion of Champions, and Gazzetta World Sportsman of the Year. Hamilton has won 19 Autosport Awards and was inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame in 2017.

Orders and special awards

Hamilton has received special awards and honours from different countries. He was given honorary citizenship from Brazil in 2022 and an honorary award from Grenada in 2008. In the United Kingdom, he became a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2009 and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2021.

Fellowships

He became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2019.

Recognition

Hamilton has been recognised in various ways, including a portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in London, a straight named after him at Silverstone Circuit, and an asteroid named after him.

Karting record

Karting career summary

Racing record

• Season still in progress.

^† 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.

• Season still in progress.

Formula One records

Main article: List of career achievements by Lewis Hamilton § Records

Lewis Hamilton began racing in Formula One at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix, becoming the first black driver to compete. He has broken many records, including the most race wins (105), pole positions (104), podium finishes (203), and championship points (5,069.5). He won his seventh title, matching the all-time record held by Michael Schumacher.