“I Don’t Do the Things Other Drivers Do”: F1 Pariah Lewis Hamilton Once Claimed He Is “Not Normal” for This Reason

Lewis Hamilton is not only a 7-time F1 World Champion. He is so much more than that. He’s a leader who leads from the front and stands up for what’s right. He wears his heart on his sleeve and speaks up his mind.

He’s not just a racing driver, Lewis Hamilton is a global icon. A symbol of hope and change.

From the moment he stepped on the F1 grid, everybody knew he was a special talent. But being the only black driver on the grid, Lewis always felt as a ‘misfit’. 

Since 2007, his debut year in F1, the Brit has revolutionized Formula 1. Hamilton has broken multiple records in his time with McLaren and Mercedes. He is also tied with Michael Schumacher for the most World titles in F1 history. However, it wasn’t as easy as it seems to the spectators.

Lewis Hamilton talked about his struggles and growing up “uncomfortable” in a 2020 interview. He said, “It was particularly uncomfortable when I started. But I grew up uncomfortable, generally. I didn’t feel like I fit in for a very long time. I still feel that way, sometimes.”

“I’m a bit of a misfit. I have my odd things and my odd ways of doing things.”

Furthermore, Hamilton shed light on an instance to explain how he is different from other drivers on the grid. He said, “I don’t do the things that other drivers do, I’m not in bed at 10pm every night. I do more than train and race. When we’re not racing, lots of drivers are doing simulations. I’m not. But then, as I said, I’m not normal.”

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton Left Emotionless After “Rubbish” Singapore GP

An idol for many, Hamilton is paving the way for the next generation to be fearless. In the same interview, he explained how his life is more than just racing in F1.

Lewis Hamilton keen on exploring his other passions outside F1

It’s fair to say that the Mercedes driver knows a thing or two about racing after wearing the F1 crown 7 times. However, there’s more to life for Lewis Hamilton than racing his Silver Arrows car. Sir Lewis mentioned how he loves adventures.

The Mercedes ace said, “I love exploring those different elements of life. Maybe it comes back again to that feeling of not fitting in.”

Lewis said he has felt this way since when he was in school.

Additionally, he has always had a notorious personality with which he wants to stand out from the ordinary. He has a knack for being “against the grain”.

He added, “It’s taken me a long time, over the course of my life, to figure out who I want to be, what I want to do — to have the balls to be myself and not care what other people think.”

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To sit on the throne for the pinnacle of motorsport and rule the kingdom for 7 years requires extreme sacrifices and grit. But to achieve the unthinkable, you have to be different, or as Lewis would say, a misfit.

When Sir Lewis said he doesn’t do things other drivers do, he certainly meant it. Can he become the only driver to win 8 World Titles before retiring?