Lewis Hamilton on his way to break Michael Schumacher’s record – Sport

At the Brazilian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton won his 101st race in Formula 1 – you might think he’d already seen it all. But even a driver like him is sometimes surprised. “I can’t remember a weekend like this, I think it was the toughest I’ve ever had,” said Hamilton. “I gave it my all and it was definitely one of my best weekends, if not the best of my entire career.” The 36-year-old Brit is prone to pathos, but in this case it was appropriate.

Due to an irregularity on the rear wing, he was moved from first place to the end of the field during the sprint and fought his way up to fifth. Because his Mercedes had a new engine installed for the Grand Prix on Sunday, he was given another penalty – and worked his way up again, from tenth place to victory. It was also an experience from the past that made him believe in the coup. His father reminded him of one of his races in the junior series: “I started last and finished tenth and then first. Well, this win here is for my father.”

Hamilton comes from a humble background. He started karting at the age of eight, and the family put everything on this card. Father Anthony Hamilton worked sometimes in four jobs at the same time in order to be able to raise the funds. At ten, Lewis won the British championship, at a gala he got McLaren team boss Ron Dennis’s autograph. And while he was talking to one of the then powerful men in Formula 1, Hamilton immediately announced that one day he would compete for Dennis in the premier class of motorsport. Three years later he made it into the McLaren youth development program. In 2007, Hamilton drove his first Formula 1 season for the British racing team, as the first black. His father’s parents come from the island of Grenada.

Hamilton has long been more than a pilot who can chase the asphalt with outstanding speed

It quickly became clear what an exceptional talent had made it to the top: At his first nine Grands Prix, Hamilton always made it onto the podium and directly fought for the title. The then 22-year-old snubbed his team-mate Fernando Alonso, who was after all double world champion. Hamilton then became champion the following year – with the decisive overtaking maneuver in the last corner on the last lap of the last race.

In 2013 he switched to Mercedes. This marked the beginning of one of the most successful partnerships in Formula 1, which has had a title subscription since 2014. Hamilton is now a seven-time world champion – just like Michael Schumacher apart from him. It is quite possible that the Briton will soon be crowned the most successful of them all. The world championship fight is being fought this season with an intensity that has not been seen for a long time. Max Verstappen is an opponent on an equal footing with Red Bull. The Dutchman is leading with 14 points ahead of Hamilton, with three races to go. Everything is possible.

But Hamilton has long been more than a pilot who can chase the asphalt with outstanding speed. He is probably the most dazzling figure in the racing circuit, likes to stop at fashion shows, has designed a collection with Tommy Hilfiger, has an extravagant style of clothing and likes to surround himself with celebrities from music, film and fashion. Above all, however, he has become a political athlete who exerts influence. He experienced racism from an early age, which is one of the reasons why he campaigns against discrimination. He also uses his reach to campaign for environmental and animal welfare as well as equality. When the 2021 season started in Bahrain, he was the only one who publicly stated that Formula 1 should not ignore human rights issues. In order to encourage those in power to change, he said in an interview with SZ that he is now ready to risk his career. But it is also the case: resistance has so far driven Lewis Hamilton even more.

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