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Hamilton at the 2007 British Grand Prix.

Lewis Carl Hamilton is a British born Formula One driver and the youngest Formula One world champion in the motorsport’s history, beating Ferrari’s Felipe Massa by only one point to take the title. He currently races for McLaren-Mercedes.

Early Years

Hamilton was born 7 January 1985 in Hertfordshire, England and made his racing debut at the tender age of eight. By age ten he had won his first of four British Karting championships, and soon after he was selected by McLaren Group Chairman and CEO Ron Dennis to participate in McLaren and Mercedes-Benz Young Driver Support Program. The program provided Hamilton with the opportunity to further his racing career through the financial and technical support of the McLaren-Mercedes team. Once backed by McLaren-Mercedes, Hamilton continued to dominate, winning European and World Karting championships and being named World Karting No.1 at only fifteen years old, another achievement in which he is honored as being the youngest champion to hold the title. Two years after this win he entered Formula Renault, where he eventually won the title with ten race victories, nine fastest laps, and eleven pole positions. Again, Hamilton moved up the racing ladder, entering the Formula Three Euroseries and, in 2005, taking that title with fifteen wins, ten fastest laps, and thirteen pole positions. His dominance in these early stages of his career led him to an early entrance into what many consider to be the most elite racing series in the world, Formula One.

Hamilton has more podium finishes than any other driver in Formula One history. Here he is seen on the podium of the 2007 British Grand Prix, with fellow drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen.

Formula One

In 2007, Hamilton made his debut in Formula One as a member of McLaren-Mercedes, his longtime backers. His debut was one for the record books, scoring podium finishes in his first nine races, four wins, including his first at the Grand Prix du Canada, and nearly winning the world championship until mistakes in the last two races of the season led him to lose the title by a single point to Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen. In his second season, Hamilton seemed to grow as a racer, reigning in many of the errors that cost him the title in his debut season. He became the youngest Formula One world champion at age twenty-three, after five wins and an additional five podium finishes. Again, the difference between world champion Hamilton and second place finisher, Felipe Massa, was only one point, but this time it was in Hamilton’s favor. In addition to his record as the youngest world champion in Formula One history, Hamilton also has won more points and has more podium finishes than any other driver. Having achieved such great success after only two seasons in Formula One, some have named him, “the Tiger Woods of racing,” and he has proved the description an apt one, not only in his talents as a driver, but in his lucrative marketing contracts with companies such as Vodafone, Reebok, and Hugo Boss. He has also contributed to the rising popularity of the sport; in his rookie season, viewership in Britain nearly doubled over the previous year. The enthusiasm of British fans can clearly be seen at races, particularly the British Grand Prix, and in interviews conducted with Hamilton.

“The Tiger Woods of Racing”

Hamilton has drawn many comparisons with one of golf’s greatest success stories, Tiger Woods, both on a professional and personal level. Both came from humble, mixed race backgrounds and reached the top of their respective sports through determination, early beginnings, and the support of their fathers. Hamilton’s father acquired second and third jobs to fund the early days of his racing career, before he earned his sponsorship from McLaren-Mercedes. Of his father he is quoted as saying, “My dad has been the main driving force behind me getting to where I am, and the way I am now is all because of him.” Woods and Hamilton also share professional similarities, as Hamilton has racked up a long list of sponsors in the two years of his success in Formula One. While his $40 to $50 million earnings in 2007 is well under the $115 million made by Woods, many predict that Hamilton is likely to see $1billion in earnings by the end of his career.

Hamilton at the 2008 Grand Prix du Canada, where he won his first Grand Prix.

The Future

Following his winning season, Hamilton signed with his team, McLaren-Mercedes, through 2012. Formula One hopes to parlay Hamilton’s success into a greater expansion of the sport’s popularity in the Far East. While the sport’s largest audiences are typically based in Western Europe, eight of last year’s eighteen total races were held outside Europe, and many of these in eastern nations such as Bahrain, Malaysia, and Singapore. In the coming 2008 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will replace the Grand Prix du Canada. Often, these eastern countries, like Abu Dhabi, will pay as much as $45 million to host a Formula One event.

Personal Life

Hamilton is currently dating the Pussycat Dolls' lead singer, Nicole Scherzinger, 30, whom he met at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Munich, Germany. His hobbies include playing guitar, reading, cycling, playing tennis and squash, karting, partying, and watching movies. Some of his favorite musical groups and performers are the Roots, De La Soul, 2Pac, Biggie, Nas, and Bob Marley. He is also a black belt in karate, which he began after being bullied at school.

Statistics

• Podiums: 22
• Total Points: 207
• Grand Prix entered: 35
• World championships: 1
• Highest race finishes: 1 (9 times)
• Highest grid position: 1 (13 times)

Career Wins

• 1995 – Karting Cadet, British Champion and STP Champion
• 1996 – Karting Cadet, McLaren-Mercedes Champion of the Future, Sky TV Kart Masters Champion and Five Nations Champion
• 1997 – Karting Junior Yamaha, McLaren-Mercedes Champion of the Future and British Champion
• 2000 – Karting Formula A, World No. 1
• 2003 – Formula Renault UK, Champion (10 wins, 9 fastest laps, 11 pole positions)
• 2005 – Formula 3 Euroseries, Champion (15 wins, 10 fastest laps, 13 pole positions)
• 2006 – GP2 Series, Champion of ART Grand Prix (5 wins)
• 2008 – Formula One, World Champion (98 points)

Records

• Youngest world champion in Formula One’s history (age 23)
• More points than any other driver (207 total)
• More podium finishes than any other driver (22 total)