British Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton is more than a sports person, a new book argues

Title: SIR LEWIS The definitive biography
Author: Michael E Sawyer

Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, the son of Carmen Larbalestier, and Anthony Hamilton, is the trailblazing first black Formula One driver. SIR LEWIS, The definitive Biography by Professor Michael. E. Sawyer traces Sir Lewis Hamilton’s journey from childhood as a prodigy car racing child, first with his Rurbo Burns remote controlled car, which his father Anthony had bought for him when he was just six years old. From there, he raced in Karting before joining Formula One. 

Anthony Hamilton believed in his son’s racing abilities and worked tirelessly against all odds to support him until his son made it to Formula One, and became the first black driver in a car sporting race that is elite, white and for the wealthy. 

Sawyer looks at how a skill and opportunity can break racial barriers. He also looks at how Fernando Alonso of Mac Laren, Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at Mac Laren, ended up becoming his enemy as they were battling it out for racing glory. Alonso eventually left Mac Laren to Renault.  

Lewis Hamilton later on left Mac Laren to join Mercedes Benz. A marriage that racked in more wins to equal Germany legendary Formula one driver Michael Schumacher ‘s seven championship wins. A record that still stands in the history of Formula One until now. Some of the tough changes that Lewis Hamilton made besides changing from Mac Laren to Mercedes Benz for him to succeed was also to fire his own father as his manager. It was a difficult decision given that his father was a person who was part of his racing success journey from his childhood. Lewis’s changes did bring in success, though. There were some controversy in December 2021 that foiled Lewis Hamilton’s 8th championship win, which some interpreted as sabotage to stop him from becoming the only person to have won eight Formula one championship trophies. Later on, after some pushback with Mercedes Benz, Hamilton again left to join Ferrari, a relationship that hasn’t brought any trophy so far. 

Lewis Hamilton is more than just a Formula one driver. He is also a businessman, a voice of transformation in sport and other injustice in the world, among other things. More than narrating Lewis Hamilton’s success, Sawyer tries to also analyze his journey and success in Formula One and how impactful he became in forcing transformation. He looks at him as one of the sports people who were more than just sports people, like Michael Jordan, the late legendary boxer Mohammed Ali, who was a boxer and a voice to the voiceless 

Lewis Hamilton was also knighted with an MBE. Excellent order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth in 2009.