Lewis Hamilton: My Story

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The problem comes when the rear tyres drop off. That’s when they are so much better than the rest. They still keep the speed going in.” Hamilton set up The Hamilton Commission to improve F1's diversity, and has also been outspoken on human rights abuses in countries where F1 is staged. At the Tuscan GP in 2020, Hamilton wore a shirt featuring the message 'Arrest the cops who killed [police shooting victim] Breonna Taylor' on the front - saying he was highlighting "human rights issues." Bringing Hamilton into the fold alongside Verstappen was never really on the table,” Marko continued. “Firstly, we are very happy with our current drivers, including Perez. Also, having two alpha drivers under one roof is a recipe for discord…

His fame transcended his sport but the high-flying, tattooed hero with diamond ear studs never lost his driving ambition, his hunger to win. He worked hard at self-improvement, added a thinking dimension to his hard-charging instincts, made fewer mistakes and became an unstoppable force in 2015. A brilliant win in Japan followed, in torrential rain that caused Alonso to crash, and Hamilton went to the penultimate race in China with a chance of clinching the title in his debut season. Hamilton’s unwillingness to simply be an F1 driver rubs some people up the wrong way, and he receives criticism from various quarters for a number of different reasons - he’s too outspoken, he’s contrived, he’s too opinionated, too much of a poseur; whatever. After Mercedes’ protests over the contentious safety car decision and the race result were rejected, the team ultimately opted against taking the matter to appeal, with the FIA announcing it would conduct a ‘detailed analysis and clarification exercise’ intended to end the controversy and the ensuing arguments that were ‘tarnishing the image of the sport.’And then constant [jibes], the things that are thrown at you, like bananas, people that would use the [racial slur] just so relaxed. People calling you 'half-caste' and just really not knowing where you fit in," the 38-year-old said. "That for me was difficult, and then when you go into history class and everything you learn in history there are no people of colour in the history they were teaching us. So I was thinking, Where are the people who look like me?' Few champions have worked harder at their profession, none has become such a persuasive influencer in promoting positive social change. Using his high profile, communicating directly via social media to many millions of followers worldwide, he supports such worthy causes as human rights, children’s welfare, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, disaster relief and especially racial equality and diversity. It was the worst time of my life,” Anthony says. "It’s difficult to explain it. I think I probably was too much of an ogre. It was, ‘Lewis, do this, do that.’ And it was, ‘Come on, Dad, I’m a grown man.’ I’m not here to answer your questions, I’ve decided,” he said. “The other day was a super light-hearted thing, and if I was disrespectful to any of you guys, or if you felt I was disrespectful, it was honestly not the intention. It was just a little bit of fun. But what was more disrespectful was what was then written worldwide. In the British Grand Prix at Silverstone their high-speed collision sent Verstappen crashing violently into the barriers. While he was transferred to hospital for tests that found him badly shaken, Hamilton went on to win despite a time penalty after stewards found him predominantly to blame for the incident. At the Italian Grand Prix the duelling duo’s coming-together at Monza’s first corner ended terminally with the Red Bull perched precariously atop the Mercedes. For Hamilton, who escaped with wheel marks on his helmet, this was his first non-finish in 63 races. In the penultimate Saudia Arabian round, won by Hamilton ahead of Verstappen after yet another acrimonious altercation in which the Mercedes rear-ended the Red Bull, caused according to Hamilton by a dangerous ‘brake test’ manoeuvre for which his rival was assessed a time penalty.

On assuming the role of team leader in 2008 (when Alonso returned to Renault) the boy wonder became even more of a marked man. En route to carving out five victories and scything his way to the podium on six other occasions, he incurred the wrath of several overtaken rivals who accused him of arrogance and dangerous driving. Hamilton insisted his hard-earned self-belief was wrongly interpreted and that his driving was firm but fair. But it wasn't without flaw and a combination of miscues and mishaps meant the championship was far from a foregone conclusion prior to the final Grand Prix, in Brazil. There, if Hamilton failed to finish at least fifth, Ferrari's Felipe Massa could take the title by winning his home race. If he wasn't happy with the kart it could get heated, but that's racing and that's what got him where he is today. He didn't always agree with us and he didn't always agree with Anthony. It is rare for me during the season to get a decent period of time at my parents’ home to spend with Nic but we did have a few this year. After the Turkish Grand Prix, for example, and before I had to travel to Italy, I went home to my parents’ house in Hertfordshire. The weather was great, Nic was there and we had fun doing all kinds of things together. Every winter we went to Finland for a week’s training camp,” De la Rosa recalls of their time together at McLaren. “He was so competitive, man. It’s unbelievable. Nic is now fifteen and, if anything, we are even closer. I love spending time with him. We enjoy the same sort of things, the same sort of music. As he gets older, it’s good to be able to talk about girls with him! It won’t be long before we can go partying together – and I am dying for the time when he is old enough so we can go out to a club or just do our own thing. That is going to be so cool.

The great champions don’t stop pushing themselves further and further and further. This is what I see from the driver Lewis Hamilton and from the person Lewis Hamilton.” Wolff argued that any communication between Hamilton and Horner was not about a change of team, but was rather insignificant – and he has seen the proof. Hamilton said he had reassured his team principal Toto Wolff when the story broke this week that it was not true.

You couldn't meet a nicer, more grounded group of people," says Liam, who is a successful rally driver and navigator. The fact seven F1 drivers have chosen not to take the knee alongside Hamilton at the regular pre-race demonstrations, for example, has contrasted awkwardly with the more united message coming from athletes in sports such as football and basketball.The 38-year-old's Mercedes contract was set to expire at the end of this season before he signed a new two-year deal in August after protracted negotiations. And if you are a little bit lonely and are not getting much attention that is the perfect thing to do, just mention my name." Hamilton led the race in his McLaren, only for his gearbox to fail, gifting victory to Vettel. He had a final meeting with Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda in his hotel room. By the end of the weekend, a deal had been put together on which all parties had agreed. After the race in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton wasted no time in pointing out that he had lost the championship because of the skewed reliability record between the two, but in the garage Lowe - who had moved to Mercedes at the same time as Hamilton - sensed his defeat would prove to be bad news for the rest of the grid.