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Lewis Hamilton, With Almost 30 Million Followers, Marked the Beginning of His Inevitable Stardom With Just 20,000 Fans

Published 09/20/2022, 8:55 AM EDT

The story of Lewis Hamilton is one that cannot be understated. The British World Champion has almost won everything there is to win in the world of Formula 1. Over the course of 16 years, his triumphant career has come with immeasurable fame.

However, a young boy with a humble background from Stevenage could have never imagined the heights his fame would touch. He only saw a glimpse of it after making his debut as an F1 driver. The incredible reception Hamilton witnessed after showcasing his talent in the opening few races was incomprehensible to him.

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In his 2008 autobiography, ‘Lewis Hamilton: My Story’, he recalls the feeling as, “my life was totally flipped upside down.”

“I was on a completely different planet. All the attention was something really new to me. From being virtually unknown at the start of the year, I had become someone everyone recognized,” Hamilton adds further.

The Mercedes man recalled one of his first stories of Silverstone, “I knew I had been attracting a lot of attention in America, but when I was told that 20,000 people had turned up to see me drive at the pre-British Grand Prix test at Silverstone, it made me stop and think, ‘Wow!’”

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Funnily enough, Hamilton wasn’t even present at the track. However, 20,000 British fans showed up at Silverstone just to catch a glimpse of the future star. However, these were the old time, now every time Hamilton shares something, he gets an audience of 30 million just through Instagram.

The young McLaren boy had the world at his feet, and he did not even know it.

Lewis Hamilton using his massive platform for all the right reasons

While becoming one of the most successful drivers of all time, fame struck Hamilton hard. However, the Briton managed the overwhelming fame quite well.

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Maybe it did not start as such, but Hamilton is currently using his massive platform to spread awareness about important issues. The Briton is also using all his influence to make motorsport more inclusive of his various contributions. Mission 44 is one of the most prominent initiatives from his end.

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Most athletes amass a massive fan base. However, not many use the platform to make a difference in their respective communities like Hamilton currently is doing.

From being a young boy who had a dream to a world-changing activist, Hamilton has had quite a journey.

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Written by:

Mahim Suhalka is an F1 Author at EssentiallySports. This Sports Management post-graduate is an ardent supporter of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team and their lead driver, Lewis Hamilton. The fact that Lewis dominated one of the most expensive sports in the world for all these years, despite his humble beginnings, has been a huge inspiration for Mahim and has made him a tenured fan of the competitive sport itself.

Edited by:

Ranvijay Singh

Lewis Hamilton, With Almost 30 Million Followers, Marked the Beginning of His Inevitable Stardom With Just 20,000 Fans

Lewis Hamilton using his massive platform for all the right reasons

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