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Lewis Hamilton | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Hamilton at the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix | |
| Born | Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton 7 January 1985 Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England |
| Partner | Nicole Scherzinger (2007–2015) |
| Relatives | Nicolas Hamilton (half-brother) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  British |
| 2024 team | Mercedes[1] |
| Car number | 44[note 1] |
| Entries | 354 (353 starts) |
| Championships | 7 (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) |
| Wins | 105 |
| Podiums | 201 |
| Career points | 4829.5 |
| Pole positions | 104 |
| Fastest laps | 67 |
| First entry | 2007 Australian Grand Prix |
| First win | 2007 Canadian Grand Prix |
| Last win | 2024 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix |
| 2023 position | 3rd (234 pts) |
| Previous series | |
| 2006 2004–2005 2003 2002–2003 2002 | GP2 Series F3 Euro Series British F3 British Formula Renault Formula Renault Eurocup |
| Championship titles | |
| 2006 2005 2003 | GP2 Series F3 Euro Series British Formula Renault |
| Website | lewishamilton |
| Signature | |
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Rivalries |
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Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver, currently competing in Formula One for Mercedes. Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles—tied with Michael Schumacher—and holds the records for most wins (105), pole positions (104), and podium finishes (201), among others.
Born and raised in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, Hamilton began his career in karting aged six, winning several national titles and attracting the attention of Ron Dennis, who signed him the McLaren Young Driver Programme in 1998. After winning the direct-drive Karting World Cup and European Championship in 2000, Hamilton progressed to junior formulae, where his successes included winning the Formula Renault UK, Formula 3 Euro Series and the GP2 Series. He subsequently signed for McLaren in 2007, becoming the first black driver to compete in Formula One at the Australian Grand Prix. In his rookie season, Hamilton won four Grands Prix and set several records as he finished runner-up to Kimi Räikkönen by one point. Hamilton won his maiden title in 2008, making a title-deciding overtake on the last lap of the last race of the season to become the then-youngest World Drivers' Champion. Despite Red Bull's dominance, he achieved multiple race wins in each of his remaining four seasons at McLaren.
Hamilton signed for Mercedes in 2013 to partner Nico Rosberg, ending his 15-year association with McLaren. Following his maiden victory with the team at the Hungarian Grand Prix, new engine regulations came into effect the following season, which saw Mercedes emerge as the dominant force in Formula One. From 2014 to 2016, Hamilton and Rosberg won 51 of 59 Grands Prix amidst their fierce rivalry—widely known as The Silver War—with Hamilton winning the former titles in 2014 and 2015, and Rosberg winning the latter. Following Rosberg's retirement, Hamilton twice overturned mid-season point deficits to Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel to claim his fourth and fifth titles in 2017 and 2018. Further consecutive titles followed in 2019 and 2020 to equal Michael Schumacher's record seven World Drivers' Championships, breaking the all-time win record at the Portuguese Grand Prix. Hamilton became the first driver to surpass 100 race wins and pole positions in 2021, a year where he finished runner-up to Max Verstappen amidst a controversial finish. Following winless campaigns in 2022 and 2023, Hamilton took his record-breaking ninth British Grand Prix victory in 2024. After 12 seasons with Mercedes, Hamilton is set to join Ferrari from 2025 onwards.
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, amongst his environmental and social activism. He has also become a prominent advocate in support of racial justice and increased diversity in motorsport. Hamilton was listed in the 2020 issue of Time as one of the 100 most influential people globally, and was knighted in the 2021 New Year Honours.
- ^ "Hamilton extends Mercedes F1 contract until 2025". Motorsport.com. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ^ "Hamilton to keep 44 as car number". GP Update. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ "World champion Hamilton runs number 1 on his Mercedes in Abu Dhabi". Formula 1. 23 November 2018. Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
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