The love and passion for motorsport is a pretty special thing. Generally, it’s the adrenaline rush, the fierce competition, and the love of automobiles that push the young ones toward the sport. However, oftentimes, there’s a personal reason or story behind it all. 7x champion Lewis Hamilton has gone on to define the word ‘success’ in F1 throughout the course of his motorsport journey. But what exactly pushed the boy from Stevenage to try his hand at racing?

From the very outset, Hamilton broke the mold. He was the first and only full time black racing driver to compete at the pinnacle of motor racing. And then, he went on to dominate it! But his love for racing finds its roots in very unfortunate circumstances. By his own testimony, where others found pure joy out of racing, the Brit used it as an out, and an avenue to prove himself to the ones who doubted him and the ones who were the closest to him.

How did Hamilton’s school inspire him to take up racing?

During the Jay Shetty podcast, Hamilton explained, “I struggled at school, as I said. The teachers would write these reports that I wasn’t focused or that I wasn’t doing well. And I remember the fear of that report, every year. I tried so hard to do well and then these teachers…”

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“I don’t know if teachers out there realize when they write those reports what’s happening back at home. The stress of that was difficult.”

Hamilton’s affinity with his father is no secret. He’s categorically attributed him to his success. And in lieu of his schooling exploits, he repaid his father with his exploits on the track.

“In racing, if I would win, I could see a smile on my dad’s face. I was like, okay if I do well at this, I know that I’ll be accepted. But I gotta work double hard!” 

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Hamilton has been pretty outspoken about his troubled childhood. And even though racing was an out, even at the track, Hamilton’s demons wouldn’t let him be.

Lewis Hamilton describes the biggest impediment to his racing career

7 world championships later, we all know who Lewis Hamilton is and how good he is. That being said, there was a time when the Brit was just a young boy with lofty ambitions of making the big leagues of motorsport. But his road to glory was no bed of roses. And for Hamilton, he can single out only one reason for this.

While speaking to BBC One, Hamilton revealed, “I think the biggest difficulties were the difference in race, being the only person of color at the track apart from my dad. There’s a lack of diversity through the top of big, big organizations, companies, all the way down.”

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Lewis Hamilton has been an inspiration for anyone who follows this sport. But what’s that one Hamilton moment that stands out for you in his illustrious Formula 1 career?