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After winning his sixth Formula One world championship and becoming the sportsperson of the year, it seemed that everything was going right for Lewis Hamilton. So, it was not surprising that many were calling for him to gain a knighthood after his feat.

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Unfortunately, things did not work out that way and he will have to wait another year for a chance of a knighthood. This was because Hamilton was not included in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.

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Had he been bestowed the honor, he would have joined the elite ranks of fellow racing drivers Jackie Stewart, Stirling Moss, and Jack Brabham.

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However, in a list which includes the likes of England cricketer Ben Stokes, Alastair Cook and tennis player Andy Murray, Hamilton’s name was absent. It was also noteworthy that Stokes beat Hamilton to BBC Sports Personality of the Year, which didn’t go down well with many motorsports fans.

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Admittedly, in his maiden championship-winning year in 2008, he was awarded an MBE. However, he claims that gaining a knighthood is not among his top priorities.

Why was Lewis Hamilton Overlooked?

There cannot be any claims of racial discrimination, as Mo Farah was knighted in recent years. So in light of that, there were plenty of calls for Lewis Hamilton to be afforded the same for his achievements in Formula 1.

Interestingly, many believe that he will gain the honor if/when he wins his seventh title and equal the record set by Michael Schumacher. In spite of being on the verge of being the joint-most successful Formula 1 driver ever, he has been snubbed before. So, his fans wouldn’t hold their breath, in spite of the amount he has achieved already.

Of course, the Formula One fraternity reacted strongly to Hamilton being absent from the New Year’s list and were almost up in arms over the snub.

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Dhruv George

14,858 Articles

Dhruv George is EssentiallySports’ foremost authority on motorsport and a founding member of the outlet’s NASCAR desk. A Journalism graduate fluent in English and French, he brings over eight years of motorsports journalism experience covering everything from high-octane NASCAR battles to the finesse of Formula 1 and MotoGP. His extensive paddock access has earned him exclusive interviews with top names such as F1’s Pierre Gasly and Moto2’s Tony Arbolino, cementing his reputation as a trusted voice among racing fans. Known for his candid opinions, Dhruv isn’t afraid to tackle contentious officiating calls, most recently defending Joey Logano after the DYL penalty in Phoenix. Before focusing on NASCAR as a Senior Writer, Dhruv contributed extensively to EssentiallySports’ coverage of F1 and NASCAR, building a versatile and impactful sports portfolio.

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