37th birthday
Lewis Hamilton: Formula 1 record world champion and role model
Lewis Hamilton is celebrating his 37th birthday. Photo: Hasan Bratic / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Lewis Hamilton wanted to be a racing driver all his life. The British Formula 1 star made it to the top.
He is considered extravagant and is always confident of victory. While he doesn’t back off on the racetrack and collects title after title with a courageous driving style, he deals privately with the great problems of the world and society. Today (January 7th) the Formula 1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton turns 37.
The yellow helmet and the number 44
Hamilton, who was born in Stevenage, found his way to Formula 1 like many other racing drivers through karting. Through involvement in Formula 3 and the GP2 series, he quickly achieved promotion. His trademarks were his yellow helmet and his starting number 44.
While the number is considered a lucky charm for him, it was said that his yellow helmet was a tribute to his idol Airton Senna. But the color of the helmet was only intended for quick identification so that his father could quickly recognize it from a distance.
A steep career follows an autograph
When the Briton was ten years old, he met Ron Dennis, then co-owner of the Formula 1 racing team McLaren. In addition to an autograph, Hamilton expressed the desire to one day drive for McLaren. In 1998 he was signed. In 2007 he competed in Formula 1 for the first time. Surprisingly, he ended up ahead of team-mate and double world champion Fernando Alonso. He even finished the first nine races on the podium.
After he was denied a title in his first season, he became world champion for the first time in 2008. In one of the most exciting races in history, competitor Felipe Massa was world champion for 39 seconds before Hamilton was able to defeat him in the last corner.
Rise to the most successful Formula 1 driver in history
Six more titles followed by 2020, drawing level with record holder Michael Schumacher. After moving to Mercedes AMG in 2014, he was supposed to keep competitors like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen at bay year after year. On October 11, 2021, he achieved his 91st Formula 1 victory, drawing level with Michael Schumacher in this category as well. His son, Mick Schumacher, symbolically handed over his father’s former helmet to Hamilton.
But the year 2021 ended with a sporting defeat for Hamilton. Against his greatest opponent Max Verstappen, he suffered a defeat in the last race and missed the sole record as world championship holder.
As a private person, committed, opinionated and influential
Hamilton enjoys playing guitar and piano and enjoys listening to soul and reggae. He has been vegan since 2017, avoiding air travel as much as possible and leading an environmentally friendly lifestyle. For many athletes, he is considered a role model. He is committed to animal welfare and UNICEF and donates large sums of money, for example to the fire department in Australia during large bush fires.
The racing driver actively campaigns against racism and also calls for more diversity in motorsport. His commitment – both for society and on the racetrack – has been honored several times by the British royal house. He was most recently knighted by Prince Charles at Windsor Castle in December