Biography of Lewis Hamilton | British driver.

(Lewis Carl Hamilton;) Tewin, 1985) British driver in Formula 1, the world champion in 2008. In the last Grand Prix of 2008, Brazil's Interlagos circuit, and in a very disputed final stretch, he achieved his first world title, becoming 23-year-old champion younger than the history of the specialty. It desquitaba as well from the disappointment of the previous season, when, despite starting as a great favorite, ended up losing the title also on the last day.

Lewis Hamilton

Son of Anthony Hamilton, a Caribbean immigrant from the island of Grenada, and Carmen Lockhart, of British nationality, his father put his second name (Carl) as a tribute to his great idol, the athlete Carl Lewis. At the age of twelve he moved to Stevenage (Hertfordshire), where his father had settled with his second wife, Linda, with whom he had married when Lewis was only two years old. There he would conceive Linda Nicholas, suffering from cerebral palsy, which Lewis would devote all their affection and would that it were not lost live any of their competitions.

His father had emigrated to seek a better future for his family and had to work hard. Employed in public railways, working more than 12 hours a day and in the evening, also frequented night schools for instruction in various subjects. In the long run luck would smile you, although nothing could make him forget the image of Lewis pushing the wheelchair of his second son in the paddock. Lewis studied elementary at the John Henry Newman School, where that hyperactive child was a usual victim of racist insults. It is not terrified and soon won the respect of his fellow to become a consummate karateka. His father, to appease his temper, had saved to buy a kart at first hand. And he immediately showed a great skill.

They were hard times, however. The father, because of the color of their skin, couldn't find anyone who would like to sponsor your child for this could demonstrate their abilities. Are you sick and tired of touring circuits without success. Finally it was decided to inscribe it as a private in the British Karts Championship of 1995. Lewis won, and his father was forced to ask for a borrowed suit to attend the gala of awards Autosport, which picked up the trophy and winked her eye the Almighty Ron Dennis, the McLaren-Mercedes pattern.

Lewis not gesture passed unnoticed and approached the Tycoon to ask for his autograph and intrigue you with a phrase at that time nothing convincing: "one day will run and win with McLaren". Dennis, with a wry smile, handed her a card with his phone and told him: "Call me within nine years". It would be the start of a brilliant career as a pilot, because only three years later was the own Dennis who called to recruit to that child as an integral part of its promising young artists programme, at a time when the team had won the Formula 1 world with Mika Häkkinen.

After his successes in Karting, Hamilton became the darling of Dennis, who did make the leap into the single-seaters in 2001, in one of the tests that begin to forge the future pilots of Formula 1, the Winter Series of Formula Renault. In his debut he was in fifth position, against older pilots. Progress made in 2002 it won three tests with Manor Motorsport and will go up to the final podium as third. The following year he already won the title with Manor.

That category was made small despite his youth, so in 2004 and 2005 ran in the F-3 Euroseries, which became champion in his second season. This allowed him to compete in the GP2, Formula 1 prelude in 2006. He won the title with SAG ahead of Nelson Piquet Jr., who later would coincide in the highest category. That dream victory in his debut convinced Dennis to jump to Formula one with McLaren, with a spectacular contract for a rookie. And already in 2007 could have been champion and the first to win the title in his first year in the specialty. But problems remained throughout the season with fellow team (the Spanish champion Fernando Alonso), together with the inexperience of Lewis, led it to lose the title in the last Grand Prix.

In 2008, already with Alonso back at Renault, he acted more wisely, although he continued committing blunders. But he managed to get to the last race, the Grand Prix of Interlagos (Brazil), with a few points of difference on the Brazilian Felipe Massa. If Massa won and Hamilton not exceeded the sixth position, the Brazilian driver proclaimed champion.

It was an incredible finish, as in the last lap Massa was leading and Hamilton was sixth. Massa crossed the first goal and behind came Hamilton in sixth. In the Ferrari paddock is celebrating because the title when suddenly appeared the McLaren of Hamilton in fifth position, which gave him enough points to surpass by one to the Ferrari driver. And it is that, when only missing 150 metres, Hamilton ahead of German Timo Glock. Despite the rain, Glock was running with dry tyres, which made him lose 18 seconds per lap. Hamilton, already champion, said: "Was convinced that he would advance to the Glock before reaching the goal". Dennis and the "master" of Formula one, Bernie Ecclestone, had what he longed for: a British champion, not seen since the days of Damon Hill (1996).

In addition to conquer the title, Hamilton had accumulated several records. The first pilot of color was champion and the youngest in history, with 23 years, 9 months and 26 days (thus supplanting to Fernando Alonso, with 24 years, 1 month and 27 days). After running 35 Grand Prix, he had managed 13 pole positions (6 of them in the year of his debut, absolute record). It had also in his 4 victories in the year of his debut, brand that equal that of Jacques Villeneuve, and was, until you finish the 2008 season, the rider with the best average points per year (103,50, followed from afar by the heptacampeon Schumacher, with 85,50).

His brilliant career, combined with his photogenic and his self-confidence in the press conferences, have made it one of the most popular athletes of the United Kingdom (hosted it up to Queen Isabel II) and one of the richest. Not in vain, after proclaiming himself champion, Ron Dennis presented a blank check so that the pilot put a figure. Not be cut: 138 million dollars for the next five years, separate commissions.

Aboard his McLaren

Although turbulent love affairs have been attributed him with famous supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, or Sara Djjeh (daughter of the owner of Tag.Heuer and co-owner of McLaren), then maintained a very formal relationship with Nicole Scherzinger, singer and leader of the Group The Pussycat Dolls. Music lover, listen to mostly hip hop, reggae and funky, and in his spare time playing guitar and a next-generation battery. If the schedule allows it, join his girlfriend in the group tours. A few years ago even dared to participate as an actor in a representation, but his performance was so criticized that since now not be lavished on public performances.

He is a fan of great power and luxury cars. Among others, there are several brands of luxury cars in his garage, but his dream, after the first title, was to gain minimum two others that Ron Dennis gave, as he promised, the McLaren F1 LM orange color seen in a magazine when I was ten years old. It was valued then at $ 10 million. Few, compared with what could win in the future if you know assimilate fame and reached to overcome the seven titles of Michael Schumacher.

Extracted from the website: Biografías y Vidas