Going for Gold

Lewis Hamilton, aged just 22, has taken the Formula 1 motor-racing world by storm, leading the F1 World Championship in his debut year. Born in  Hertfordshire, to Grenadian parents, Lewis’ success, determination and composure has been an inspiration to many and has won him universal respect and admiration. Lewis Hamilton took time from his busy Formula 1 schedule to speak to Talent Media’s BHM (The Official Guide to Black History Month).........

Lewis Carl Hamilton (born January 7, 1985 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire) the British Formula One driver, started racing karts at the age of eight. When he was ten, he approached McLaren team owner Ron Dennis and told him he would drive for McLaren one day; four years later, Hamilton was signed to the McLaren driver development support programme. Hamilton became European karting champion in 2000 with maximum points and made a successful transition to racing cars the following year.

He was appointed as a Formula One driver for McLaren in 2007. In his first season in the top international single seater category he became the first rookie driver to lead the world championship, finishing on the podium in his first nine races and winning three times by two-thirds of the way through the season.

Hamilton’s paternal grandparents emigrated to the United Kingdom from Grenada in the 1950s. His grandfather worked on the London Underground. His mother Carmen and father Anthony, (who is now an IT consultant), named him after the US Olympic gold medal winning athlete Carl Lewis. Hamilton’s parents separated when he was two and, until he was ten, he lived with his mother and half-sisters Nicola and Samantha. After that he lived with his father, step-mother Linda and half-brother Nicholas who has cerebral palsy. At six, he began his racing career when his father bought him his first go-kart as a Christmas present, and would support his racing career as long as he worked hard at school. When supporting his son became problematic Anthony Hamilton took redundancy as an IT Manager and became a contractor  - sometimes doing up to three jobs at a time to support his son’s career - and still found enough time to attend all his races. Hamilton attended The John Henry Newman School in Stevenage. He took up karate at an early age when his driving attracted the attention of local bullies. By the time he was twelve, he had gained his first black belt in the sport. He extended his skills to football, playing in his school team alongside current Aston Villa forward Ashley Young as a midfielder. 

The young Englishman now a global household name,  is the only man in Formula One history to finish in the top three in his first four races, and the only man to lead the championship in his inaugural season since the inaugural season of Formula One, in 1950. Lewis’s sights remain firmly on becoming the 2007 Formula 1 Champion.

BHM:  What first motivated you to get into Formula 1?
Lewis Hamilton: If you want to be the best at whatever career you choose in life, then you have to compete at the very top. Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. From the time I started my racing career in Cadet Karts in 1994 right the way through to Formula Renault, Formula 3, and GP2, I have dedicated my life to achieving my goal of becoming a Formula 1 World Champion. I am now another huge step closer to reaching my ultimate dream. This is a massive challenge, but one I am enjoying being part of this year. I am motivated by a desire to be the best at whatever I decide to put my mind too. Once I have decided to take up a challenge, my inner self will not let me give up unless I have achieved my goal. I love motor racing and I have done so since I first watched it on TV when I was about five. The key element in all of this is that I am not here to take part, I am here to win, and I will do whatever mentally and physically it takes to achieve that in due course. I am only 22 and I hope to have a long career in the sport.

BHM:  How would you describe the your key to success?
LH: I guess one crucial element is determination, you need to have fire in your heart to keep yourself going and to get yourself out training everyday and preparing yourself for the weekend. Its no good going into a race hoping to finish fifth, you need to go out wanting to win absolutely every race you compete in. Alongside that it would be the huge support I have received and continue to do so from my family and the team. I could not be where I am today without their backing.

BHM: What 3 words would you use to describe yourself?
LH: Motivated, determined and focused!!

BHM: What has been the most challenging aspects of your career so far?
LH: As with any sport, the schedule for Formula 1 is exhausting. You fly sometimes 12 hours to a race, have to acclimatize to the timezone and heat. When you are in the car is it very physically demanding on your body, you then fly back to the UK and go off testing. It is non-stop, but I work very hard with my trainer to ensure I am physically able to do it all, and perform to the best of my abilities at all times. There are more challenging sides to it, such as the media interest off track, but that is a part of the job. I have the best job in the world, it is what I have always wanted to do, and I just have to find a way to not let that affect me and my family. I am determined to keep living my life, to see my family, my friends and relax with them when I do have some time off.

BHM: How would you describe the importance of family? 
LH: By saying my family is the single most important thing in my life. There have been two main influences as I have been growing up, my family and then the support I have received from McLaren and Mercedes-Benz. I’ve been very fortunate in having the full support of every member of my family throughout my life and solid relationships with them all. My father is the one that everyone sees at the races, as he is also my manager. When you consider what he has achieved away from my career, in setting up a very successful IT company from scratch, he is very inspirational. He’s had a major influence on my mental preparation and the way I think. It’s a difficult skill to put things behind you, but he is mentally very strong and has helped me with this. Each member of my family provides me with something. I have a great relationship with my younger brother Nicolas, he is also an inspiration to me, and to many others, definitely more that I will ever be. Nic has cerebral palsy which affects his motor skills, walking, co-ordination, balance etc. He is always very positive, you never hear him complaining about his disability, he just gets on with life as it happens. It really does give you a reality check when you think you have a problem, I just think of Nic and everything is alright again, because Nic is always smiling whatever the situation.

BHM: Do you think success has changed you in anyway?
LH: I’m probably not the one you should be asking that to!! My answer would be I hope not.

BHM: What words of guidance would you give young people - whatever their chosen career?
LH: To stay focused and not give up. It is amazing what you can achieve if you keep plugging away. Also, without wanting to sound like a cliché, it really is worth paying attention to people who have done it before you, whether life in general or the specific career you chose. They have the knowledge and the value of learning from them is huge. When you are a young kid, you don’t always want to listen as you think you can do it better, but it is worth it.

BHM: How do you like to spend time when you are off the track? 
LH: Chilling with my family and friends. That can be going to the cinema, playing computer games, going out for the evening, just relaxing generally. I also like my music, so going to concerts is another favourite of mine.

BHM: Do you have any role models?
LH: I think I have had people during my life that I admire rather than have as a hero, because my kind of hero would be someone that is been the best at whatever they decided to do. In Formula 1 Ayrton Senna was a massive inspiration to me and would have to be my ultimate hero and although I didn’t think I would ever count Michael Schumacher as a hero I really do look up to him for what he has achieved and done for the sport, he is definitely one of the greats. Outside of Formula 1, my father foremost, then Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King two great icons who continue to inspire many people including me.

BHM: Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
LH: When there is so much going on in my life, I find it really hard to look that far ahead. Eventually I hope to have won World Championships with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and in the very long term to have a family of my own, but I mean very long term with that one!

BHM: Anything else you would like to add?
LM: I am doing this interview going into the Italian Grand Prix in early September, and the start of what is going to be the busiest six weeks of my life. We have four races in that time, ending with the Brazilian Grand Prix in October. There is a great battle going on for both Championships, with four drivers in the hunt for the Drivers’ title. I am going to do the maximum possible in that time, but what will be will be. It is my first year in Formula 1 and whatever happens in the remaining four races, it has been a great year. This means that I will not be in the UK for any of the celebrations of Black History Month, so I hope it is a positive and successful month for everyone involved.

BHM: Who would be your Black History Month hero?
LH: Nelson Mandela.

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