Lewis Hamilton is one of the most iconic racers in Formula One, having won the Championship six times already. He is in fine form this season , having just cruised to a fifth win of the 2020 season and extended his World Championship lead to 47 points at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Talking about Hamilton’s insatiable drive to win, Mercedes team Principal Toto Wolff said,” One of his character traits, which are truly inspirational for the whole team, is that as a person off track and a driver in the car he is just always able to improve. He reflects a lot. You would think that a six-time World Champion, a global superstar of the sport, should say at a certain stage ‘that is good, what I’m doing’ but he would never do this.
He would always try to optimize. When you get him into the briefing you would think he finished 15th.I think this is the correct character trait that is truly different.”
However, Hamilton is not just limited to excellence on the track. He has been a vocal supporter for the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and has spoken passionately about social justice and the need for more equality.
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Interestingly, after his win at the Belgian GP last weekend, Hamilton spoke about Chadwick Boseman, the famous Hollywood actor who passed away due to colon cancer and how his portrayal of Black Panther inspired him. Hamilton said,” You know, when you're watching the news, when you see what's happening around the world and I feel really quite affected by it and then obviously I was so incredibly proud when Chadwick was Black Panther, as a kid, dreaming of super heroes and finally see someone, a super hero of a similar colour to me, was really just such a remarkable moment, I think, for the black community.”
"So when I woke up and I got the news from a friend who has said I'm crying writing this message to you about Chad, and then reading the news I just broke down. I remember, just trying to pull it together and make sure I delivered on that day."
Before the race, Hamilton joined his fellow drivers on the grid to share their anti-racism message while post his win, he did the Wakanda salute as a tribute to the departed Boseman. As a world champion, Hamilton is a historic figure but his actions off the track demands as much, if not more respect .
Live long and live bold, Lewis Hamilton!
