Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton is a British racing driver, activist, fashion designer and musician. In Formula One, Hamilton has won a joint-record seven World Drivers’ Championship titles (tied with Michael Schumacher), while he holds the outright records for the most wins (95), pole positions (98) and podium finishes (165), amongst others. Hamilton was signed to the McLaren young driver programme in 1998. This later resulted in a Formula One drive with McLaren in 2007, making Hamilton the first black driver to race in the sport.
That season, Hamilton set numerous records as he finished runner-up to Kimi Räikkönen by one point. The following season, he won his maiden title to become the then-youngest Formula One World Champion in history. After four more years with McLaren, Hamilton signed with Mercedes in 2013. Changes to the regulations for 2014 mandating the use of turbo-hybrid engines came at the start of a highly successful period for Hamilton, during which he has won six further drivers’ titles. Hamilton won consecutive titles in 2014 and 2015 to match his hero Ayrton Senna’s three World Championships.
Hamilton won his third and fourth titles in a row in 2019 and 2020, respectively, equalling Schumacher’s record of seven drivers’ titles. Hamilton has been credited with furthering Formula One’s global following by appealing to a broader audience outside the sport, in part due to his high-profile lifestyle, environmental and social activism and his exploits in music and fashion. He has become a prominent advocate in support of activism to combat racism and push for increased diversity in motorsport. Hamilton was knighted in the 2021 New Year Honours.
Some of the best quotes from Lewis Hamilton are listed below.
- “A shark? No, I like to think I’m more like a panther. A shark attacks from behind without you knowing. With a panther, you know it’s coming but he still gets you.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “As a driver, you’ve always got to believe in your heart that you’ve got what it takes to win it. You’ve always got to believe in yourself. You’ve always got to arrive on the day and believe it can happen. You’ve always got to believe in the positives.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “Everyone has complicated lives, but the more you can simplify it and make it work for you, the better it is going to be.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “Going for a really long run, a bike ride, or cross-country skiing helps me get away from all the noise. I tell myself, ‘The pain you’re feeling, just enjoy it because it’s going to help you across that finish line first.’ If you’re having a crap day, go for a run. It makes a big difference.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I always remind myself if I’m having a down day because of a bad race it’s not just me. That feeling I’m having is shared by my family, the team and my fans. When we win they feel the joy as well. That’s why I say we win and lose together, and I definitely couldn’t do it without them.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I always thought, if I can affect one kid and help him or her fulfill their dreams, that would be kinda neat, so I want to ensure that I’m remembered in a good way.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I don’t aspire to be like other drivers, I aspire to be unique in my own way.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I don’t know if you’ve ever been skiing, but if you go to the slope you’ll see all these kids fearlessly zooming by. It’s only when we get older that fear creeps in. But for me, it just never has. And when it comes to racing, it’s always about who is willing to go further, who is willing to take that extra step. I’m willing to take any amount of pain to win. I’m hungry to win.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I don’t like to read fiction. I like to learn something when I’m reading.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I feel like I’ve been blessed with the ability to do what I do.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I feel like people are expecting me to fail, therefore, I expect myself to win.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I hate losing. It doesn’t matter if it’s racing or playing Ping-Pong – I hate it.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I like taking risks. I like trying new things, whether it be style or restaurants or whatever.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I think grooming is definitely undervalued by men. We all expect women to be fully groomed, which they do. But I also think it’s just as important for a man to look fresh and clean.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I want to be the best at everything I do, not just driving, everything.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I want to be the best driver there has ever been.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I want to crush everyone. I want to outsmart everyone.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I was born to race and to win.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I’m just super competitive. Squash, tennis, water skiing, computer games… Even if I played you at pool, I’d have to win.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I’m very, very competitive.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I’m willing to take any amount of pain to win.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “I’ve accomplished more than I ever dreamed. But I’m hungry for more.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “In racing there are always things you can learn, every single day. There is always space for improvement, and I think that applies to everything in life.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “It’s important for everyone to stand up for what they believe in.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “My brother was told that he wouldn’t walk, that he wouldn’t be able to play drums, that he wouldn’t be able to race a car – and he’s done all those things. He’s defied the odds, defied disability. I look at him and I’m so inspired, by his mentality and by how incredible the body and the mind are. There’s really nothing you can’t do. My brother has proved that.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “My dad wanted me to have a better life than he had ever had. He wanted us to succeed so badly. And I never wanted to let him down.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “My saying is; We win and lose together. I think that really does apply to both my fans, family and the team.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “Sure every driver has his value and you want to be respected but again money is not something that drives me.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “There are times when you are growing through experiences, but sometimes there is a point of diminishing returns in terms of growth.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to learn about losing and having bad races.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “Winning is definitely the ultimate goal, the lessons learned when I don’t win only strengthen me.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “You can knock me down, but I get up twice as strong.” – Lewis Hamilton
- “You just need to be accepted for who you are and be proud of who you are and that is what I’m trying to do.” – Lewis Hamilton
