Lewis Hamilton Was Already Hailed the Tiger Woods of His Sport, Years Before Making It to F1

It’s safe to say that Lewis Hamilton has conquered Formula 1. The 38-year-old British racing ace has amassed a grand total of 103 (and counting) race wins and a whopping 7 world titles. The only other person to do this is the great Michael Schumacher. That being said, the 7x champ, who hails from Stevenage, is more than just a successful, record-beating racing driver. What he’s achieved in the sport, given his background, means more than just the title of being the GOAT.

It’s no secret that Hamilton’s path to F1 success has been dotted with impediments; the biggest being his race. Being a black kid, with not so much financial backing, it was very difficult for the young Brit to climb up the racing ladder. However, the way he has fought against all the odds and the discrimination he faced, he’s become a modern-age role model. But back when he was plying his trade in the lower formulas, he wasn’t just fighting for a place in F1. He was fighting for something even greater.

In 2002, Car Magazine UK did a profile on the then 17-year-old hotshot, Lewis Hamilton. He was signed up to the McLaren driver program and on the cusp of participating in the prestigious Formula Renault series. In 2020, when Hamilton finally became a 7-time champion, they did a special re-run in his honor.

It said, “Hamilton is special. The champion kart racer is the protégé of McLaren Formula One boss Ron Dennis, who believes he will soon be a grand prix driver. Hamilton is also black. And there has never been a black F1 driver.”

Everyone involved in his journey knew how special it was going to be. The magazine had quoted Rodney Hinds, sports editor at The Voice, a newspaper for Britain’s Afro-Caribbean community, saying, “If Lewis gets into Formula One, it will be as significant as Tiger Woods making it to the top in golf. It will hopefully open the way for other young black drivers.”

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The young lad from Stevenage has come a long way since then. But what makes Hamilton so special?

Martin Brundle exposes the secret behind Lewis Hamilton

There never has been a driver like Lewis Hamilton in F1. And chances are that there never will be. However, what the 7x champ has achieved isn’t down to sheer luck. But what is it exactly that makes Lewis Hamilton so good?

SkySport F1’s Martin Brundle explained, “For me, what stands out through all of this time is that he’s not lost anything in terms of work rate, speed, fitness, race craft, bravery, through all these years. He’s just added experience, knowledge and guile to it all.”

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What sets Lewis Hamilton apart from the other F1 champions for you?