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See Again
© Getty Images
0 / 27 Fotos
Roots
- Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born on January 7, 1985, in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England.
© Getty Images
1 / 27 Fotos
Love for racing cars and speed
- Hamilton’s father is credited for influencing his son’s need for speed by buying him a radio-controlled car in 1991.
© Getty Images
2 / 27 Fotos
The beginning
- “I was racing these remote-controlled cars and winning club championships against adults,” Hamilton recalls.
© Getty Images
3 / 27 Fotos
First championship victory
- Hamilton won his first British Kart Championship when he was just 10 years old.
© Getty Images
4 / 27 Fotos
Karting champ
- One year later, in 1996, Hamilton won the Champions of the Future series, the Five Nations, and the Sky TV Kartmasters, in the cadet class.
© Getty Images
5 / 27 Fotos
1998
- This was a big year for Lewis Hamilton. At just 15, he won both the European and the World Karting title, becoming the youngest ever Karting World Number One.
© Getty Images
6 / 27 Fotos
Deal
- In the same year, he joined McClaren and Mercedes-Benz’s Young Driver Support Program.
© Getty Images
7 / 27 Fotos
Career highlights
- In the following years, Lewis Hamilton continued his path towards F1 glory. In 2003, he became Formula Renault UK Champion.
© Getty Images
8 / 27 Fotos
Career highlights
- In 2005, he won the Masters of Formula Three Championships and the Formula Three Euro Series Championship. In 2006, Hamilton became the GP2 Series champion.
© Getty Images
9 / 27 Fotos
F1 debut
- In 2007, Lewis Hamilton started racing in F1. His first race was the Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton qualified fourth and finished in third place! That same year he also got his first win, in the Canadian GP.
© Getty Images
10 / 27 Fotos
F1 champion
- In 2008, the first big milestone had been reached. Lewis Hamilton won his first F1 World Championship. He was just 23.
© Getty Images
11 / 27 Fotos
MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire)
- In 2009, Lewis Hamilton was awarded a MBE by the Queen. He described the experience as one of the most overwhelming of his life.
© Getty Images
12 / 27 Fotos
2013 season
- This is when Hamilton started racing as part of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
© Getty Images
13 / 27 Fotos
2014
- Hamilton achieves five consecutive wins in this season. He also achieved the 32nd victory in his career, beating all British drivers’ records.
© Getty Images
14 / 27 Fotos
2014
- In this year, Hamilton amassed 11 wins, 384 points, and 16 podiums. He was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2014.
© Getty Images
15 / 27 Fotos
Breaking records
- In 2015, Lewis Hamilton becomes the most successful British F1 driver of all time, with 32 GP wins.
© Getty Images
16 / 27 Fotos
Inspirational
- “As a kid, I always dreamt of being in Formula 1. I never lost sight of that dream, even when people said it would be impossible,” said Hamilton when he won his fourth World Championship in 2017.
© Getty Images
17 / 27 Fotos
He just kept winning
- Hamilton went on to win his fifth and sixth World Championship in the following years.
© Getty Images
18 / 27 Fotos
Special achievement
- Hamilton was presented with a helmet of Michael Schumacher's for matching his record of 91 race wins on October 11, 2020, in Nuerburg, Germany.
© Getty Images
19 / 27 Fotos
Record-breaking win
- In November 2020, Lewis Hamilton won his seventh world title and became the most successful racing driver in the history of the sport.
© Getty Images
20 / 27 Fotos
Equaling and surpassing Schumacher
- Hamilton equaled Michael Schumacher's number of titles, after he’d already surpassed his record of race wins.
© Getty Images
21 / 27 Fotos
On his wins
- "It felt so far fetched. I remember watching Michael win those world championships. To get one or two or even three is so hard. Seven is unimaginable. There is no end to what we can do together, me and this team,” said Hamilton.
© Getty Images
22 / 27 Fotos
A dream come true
- “We dreamed of this when I was young. It is so important for kids to see this and don't listen to anyone who says you can't achieve something. Dream the impossible. You have got to chase it and never give up," the F1 champion added.
© Getty Images
23 / 27 Fotos
Current records
- Lewis Hamilton currently holds the record for most wins, pole positions, and podium finishes, among others.
© Getty Images
24 / 27 Fotos
Another victory for activism
- A victim of racial abuse himself, Lewis Hamilton has been vocal about racism in the sport and is an advocate for human rights, diversity, and environmentalism.
© Getty Images
25 / 27 Fotos
Fight against inequality in F1
- "Kids, people, there are so many jobs in this sport of which anybody, no matter your ethnicity or background, can make it and fit in," said Hamilton. Sources: (LewisHamilton.com) (BBC) See also: The hottest Formula 1 drivers in history
© Getty Images
26 / 27 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 27 Fotos
Roots
- Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born on January 7, 1985, in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England.
© Getty Images
1 / 27 Fotos
Love for racing cars and speed
- Hamilton’s father is credited for influencing his son’s need for speed by buying him a radio-controlled car in 1991.
© Getty Images
2 / 27 Fotos
The beginning
- “I was racing these remote-controlled cars and winning club championships against adults,” Hamilton recalls.
© Getty Images
3 / 27 Fotos
First championship victory
- Hamilton won his first British Kart Championship when he was just 10 years old.
© Getty Images
4 / 27 Fotos
Karting champ
- One year later, in 1996, Hamilton won the Champions of the Future series, the Five Nations, and the Sky TV Kartmasters, in the cadet class.
© Getty Images
5 / 27 Fotos
1998
- This was a big year for Lewis Hamilton. At just 15, he won both the European and the World Karting title, becoming the youngest ever Karting World Number One.
© Getty Images
6 / 27 Fotos
Deal
- In the same year, he joined McClaren and Mercedes-Benz’s Young Driver Support Program.
© Getty Images
7 / 27 Fotos
Career highlights
- In the following years, Lewis Hamilton continued his path towards F1 glory. In 2003, he became Formula Renault UK Champion.
© Getty Images
8 / 27 Fotos
Career highlights
- In 2005, he won the Masters of Formula Three Championships and the Formula Three Euro Series Championship. In 2006, Hamilton became the GP2 Series champion.
© Getty Images
9 / 27 Fotos
F1 debut
- In 2007, Lewis Hamilton started racing in F1. His first race was the Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton qualified fourth and finished in third place! That same year he also got his first win, in the Canadian GP.
© Getty Images
10 / 27 Fotos
F1 champion
- In 2008, the first big milestone had been reached. Lewis Hamilton won his first F1 World Championship. He was just 23.
© Getty Images
11 / 27 Fotos
MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire)
- In 2009, Lewis Hamilton was awarded a MBE by the Queen. He described the experience as one of the most overwhelming of his life.
© Getty Images
12 / 27 Fotos
2013 season
- This is when Hamilton started racing as part of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
© Getty Images
13 / 27 Fotos
2014
- Hamilton achieves five consecutive wins in this season. He also achieved the 32nd victory in his career, beating all British drivers’ records.
© Getty Images
14 / 27 Fotos
2014
- In this year, Hamilton amassed 11 wins, 384 points, and 16 podiums. He was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2014.
© Getty Images
15 / 27 Fotos
Breaking records
- In 2015, Lewis Hamilton becomes the most successful British F1 driver of all time, with 32 GP wins.
© Getty Images
16 / 27 Fotos
Inspirational
- “As a kid, I always dreamt of being in Formula 1. I never lost sight of that dream, even when people said it would be impossible,” said Hamilton when he won his fourth World Championship in 2017.
© Getty Images
17 / 27 Fotos
He just kept winning
- Hamilton went on to win his fifth and sixth World Championship in the following years.
© Getty Images
18 / 27 Fotos
Special achievement
- Hamilton was presented with a helmet of Michael Schumacher's for matching his record of 91 race wins on October 11, 2020, in Nuerburg, Germany.
© Getty Images
19 / 27 Fotos
Record-breaking win
- In November 2020, Lewis Hamilton won his seventh world title and became the most successful racing driver in the history of the sport.
© Getty Images
20 / 27 Fotos
Equaling and surpassing Schumacher
- Hamilton equaled Michael Schumacher's number of titles, after he’d already surpassed his record of race wins.
© Getty Images
21 / 27 Fotos
On his wins
- "It felt so far fetched. I remember watching Michael win those world championships. To get one or two or even three is so hard. Seven is unimaginable. There is no end to what we can do together, me and this team,” said Hamilton.
© Getty Images
22 / 27 Fotos
A dream come true
- “We dreamed of this when I was young. It is so important for kids to see this and don't listen to anyone who says you can't achieve something. Dream the impossible. You have got to chase it and never give up," the F1 champion added.
© Getty Images
23 / 27 Fotos
Current records
- Lewis Hamilton currently holds the record for most wins, pole positions, and podium finishes, among others.
© Getty Images
24 / 27 Fotos
Another victory for activism
- A victim of racial abuse himself, Lewis Hamilton has been vocal about racism in the sport and is an advocate for human rights, diversity, and environmentalism.
© Getty Images
25 / 27 Fotos
Fight against inequality in F1
- "Kids, people, there are so many jobs in this sport of which anybody, no matter your ethnicity or background, can make it and fit in," said Hamilton. Sources: (LewisHamilton.com) (BBC) See also: The hottest Formula 1 drivers in history
© Getty Images
26 / 27 Fotos
Why Lewis Hamilton might be the greatest F1 driver of all time
The famed Formula One driver turns 38 this January 7
© Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton is going down in history as one the greatest F1 drivers of all time, of that there is no doubt. But is he the greatest ever? His impressive track record and winning performances indicate that this might just be the case.
Want the facts? Click through the following gallery and discover how Lewis Hamilton got here, and then judge for yourself.
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