Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born on 7 January 1985 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, to a white British mother and a Black Grenadian father. His parents separated when he was two and he was raised primarily by his mother. At the age of eight, he began karting and immediately showed exceptional talent. His father Anthony worked multiple jobs to fund Lewis's racing career, eventually becoming his manager.

At ten years old, Hamilton approached Ron Dennis — the boss of McLaren Formula One — at an awards ceremony and told him: 'I'd love to race for you one day. Can I have your autograph?' Dennis later signed him to McLaren's driver development programme — an extraordinary act of faith in a young Black boy in a sport that was almost entirely white.

Hamilton made his Formula One debut with McLaren in 2007 and almost won the championship in his first season — finishing second by a single point. In 2008, at 23, he became the youngest Formula One world champion in history. He was also the first — and remains the only — Black driver to win the Formula One world championship.

Hamilton went on to dominate Formula One in a way that has no parallel in the sport's history. He won seven world championships — equalling the record of Michael Schumacher — and holds the records for most wins (103), most pole positions (104) and most podium finishes in Formula One history. He has also been the sport's most prominent activist, using his platform to campaign for racial equality, environmental causes and LGBTQ+ rights.

Lewis Hamilton was knighted in 2021 — becoming Sir Lewis Hamilton. He continues to race in Formula One, pursuing an eighth world championship that would make him the most decorated driver in the history of the sport.