Lewis Hamilton is a British racing driver, who was born in Tewin, in Hertfordshire in 1985.
After winning several karting championships, Hamilton was signed by McLaren's Young Driver Programme on a development contract in 1992 when he was 12. As a result, he has been well-funded throughout his burgeoning career. He has also raced in British Formula Renault in his career, and was European kart champion in 2000.


In 2005 he won the Formula Three Euroseries racing for the dominant ASM team, having raced in the category in 2004 for Manor Motorsport using the superior Mercedes engine.


In 2006, he joined ART Grand Prix team in the GP2 Series as a replacement for the previous year's champion Nico Rosberg. His performance in the GP2 Series has been impressive. At the European GP2 event he won both races, becoming only the second driver (after Nico Rosberg) to do so in the series history and won at Monaco from pole. At the moment he leads the championship, outperforming his more experienced team mate Alexandre Premat.


He has frequently been tipped to be the first black driver in Formula 1, but McLaren boss Ron Dennis has said that he has turned down possible advertising campaigns focusing on Lewis' ethnicity.

Follow up:

Lewis Hamilton Statistics:

COMPETITION HISTORY
2006 GP2 Series, ART Grand Prix.

2005 F3 Euroseries. Champion; ASM F3, Dallara-Mercedes.
2004 F3 Euroseries. 1st and 3rd at Norisring, 3rd at Nurburgring, Winner Bahrain F3 Superprix.

2003 British Formula Renault Champion; Manor Motorsport.
2002 British Formula Renault; Manor Motorsport; third overall; three victories; three fastest laps; three pole positions. Formula Renault EuroCup Championship; competed in four out of nine rounds; fifth overall; one victory; three podium positions.

2001 British Formula Renault Winter Series; fifth overall.
2000 Formula A; European Champion; Winner of all four rounds; World Cup Champion; World Number One. Winner of Masters at Bercy. BRDC ‘Rising Star’ Member. Winner at the Second round of the Italian Open.

1999 Intercontinental A & Junior Intercontinental A; Italian "Industrials" Champion – ICA; Vice European Champion – JICA; Trophy de Pomposa winner – JICA; 4th Italian Open Championship - JICA.
1998 Junior Intercontinental A; Second in McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future; Fourth at the Italian Open Championship. It is announced that Lewis will be supported by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz

1997 Junior Yamaha; Champions of the Future series Champion; Super One series Champion
1996 Cadet Class; Champions of the Future series Champion; Sky TV KartMasters Champion; Five Nations Champion.

1995 Cadet Class; British Champion; STP Champion.


Hamilton on Racism:

"When I'm at a race now I don't think, 'Oh man, I'm the only black guy here!' I noticed it more in karting. On the day Senna died there was another black family at the track. But they weren't doing anything big because they didn't have the money. In karting, because some of the kids were immature, the odd racist thing would pop up. But I channelled my aggression - that's one of my great strengths. I was also taught that the best way to beat them is out on the track."

Hamilton on Ayrton Senna's Death

"I was nine when Ayrton Senna died, and he was my hero. I remember racing that weekend in Hoddesdon. My dad had a small Vauxhall Cavalier and a trailer at the back. We'd sit in the Cavalier and wait for my turn to race. And that day my step-mum came over to tell us Senna had just died. It hit me hard - but I never liked to show emotion in front of my dad. So I went behind the trailer and cried. That was the turning point of my life - because when you're so young, you believe people like Senna are invincible. And then you realise that they're also mortal. It made me understand I need to make the most of my talent."