Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born Jan. 7, 1985 in Stevenage, England. Lewis has both Grenadian and British heritage. His father, Anthony, is the son of immigrants from Grenada. His mother, Carmen, and Anthony divorced when Lewis was two. His father remarried, and had Lewis’ brother, Nicolas, who is a race car driver and advocate with cerebral palsy.
Hamilton began his karting career at age eight, and won the British Kart Championship at age 10. Hamilton was signed to the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz Young Driver Support Programme at age 13, and raced in a variety of series including British Formula Renault and GP2 before being brought up to Formula 1.
Hamilton made his Formula 1 debut in 2007 with Mclaren (then Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes), and drove there from 2007 to 2012. He scored 21 wins over the course of his time with the team, cementing his place in Mclaren’s lineup of legendary drivers.
In 2013, Hamilton replaced F1 legend Michael Schumacher at Mercedes AMG Petronas. Hamilton went on to have one of the most successful campaigns in F1 history with the Germany-based team. He won the 2014 and 2015 World Driver’s Championship, narrowly losing to his teammate, Nico Rosberg, in 2016. Hamilton won again in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. The title fight came down to the last race of the 2021 season, where Hamilton was beaten by now four time World Champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing.
In a shocking announcement before the start of the 2024 season, Hamilton made the switch to Ferrari. As the most successful team in F1 history, Scuderia Ferrari has built a reputation as a top tier team. In recent years, the team has made a comeback from an era of struggles and mishaps, setting themselves ahead of teams like Mercedes in recent years.
Currently, the Ferrari team is facing difficulties. While Hamilton was able to win the Sprint Race at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, the Italian team is currently ranked fourth in the team standings. Hamilton is ranked seventh in the drivers standings, with his teammate Charles Leclerc in fifth.
Hamilton currently has seven World Drivers Championships under his belt, tied with Michael Schumacher for the most championships. Hamilton is also the driver with the most wins, having earned 105 victories so far in his career.
But, Hamilton’s legacy extends far beyond motorsport. He is also an activist and fashion icon. Hamilton is set to co-chair the 2025 Met Gala alongside Anna Wintour, Colman Domingo, and more. His fashion serves as a point of advocacy and interest in black history and designers.
He also leads a variety of initiatives to support diversity in motorsports and STEM, with organizations like Mission 44 promoting inclusive education. He has also been outspoken about issues of race on a global scale, like when he wore a tee shirt to bring attention to the death of Breonna Taylor in 2020. He also stood up against bans on jewelry as a means of standing up for his individuality and self expression. Hamilton is also a supporter of the Formula 1 Academy, the all-female series by the FIA.
Hamilton was knighted in 2021 at Windsor Castle. He is the fourth F1 driver to be knighted, alongside Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jack Brabham.
Hamilton is an F1 Hall of Fame driver, and his legacy on the sport is impactful even today. Even though he is still racing, Hamilton is regarded as one of the greatest of all time. As his successes continue and his impact grows, Hamilton is known for his strength, resilience, and passion for racing.