Lewis Hamilton shares the story of tough times there was ‘no escaping’ from before Formula 1 success

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Lewis Hamilton has endured one of, if not the best career in the history of Formula 1 across a 17-year period.

The Brit arrived on the grid with McLaren fresh off the back of a terrific GP2 title-winning campaign in 2006 and hit the ground running immediately.

He fell agonisingly short (one point) of achieving a drivers’ championship in his rookie season, but he went on to forge an excellent legacy after that.

Hamilton is the only driver to have achieved a century of victories in the sport, and it appears that record could remain for a very long time, with only Max Verstappen within distance of it.

Lewis Hamilton says there was ‘no escaping’ bullying or racism

But off the track, life hasn’t always been so easy for the seven-time champion, who has had to face years of tough battles.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Hamilton revealed the difficulty of growing up facing both racism and bullying.

Support was limited and he was encouraged to bottle up his emotions and let them out on the track, culminating in some incredible dominance between 2014 and 2021.

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“There was no escaping it,” he said. “You experience it at school, in the parks, walking through town. I didn’t understand it and my parents never spoke to me about it.

“They never explained what was going on. My dad was just, ‘Keep your head down, hold it in, don’t say anything, just beat them on the track, that’s all you can do.’”

Hamilton continues to make positive contributions to the world

Hamilton has set up projects such as Mission 44 and The Hamilton Commission – aimed at providing better opportunities for young children in today’s climate.

It’s the sort of help that wasn’t around when he was in his youth, and he would have already made a positive influence on so many careers.

When he retires from Formula 1 one day, expect to see him pay even closer attention and spend more of his free time on these projects.

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It’s a cause that is close to his heart, and helps him give something back to the young fans and individuals who aspire to be like him.

He has the opportunity for a fairy-tale ending to his career with Ferrari in 2025 and 2026, where an eighth world championship would be the icing on the cake to an incredible individual’s achievements.