Lewis Hamilton - The African Mirror

Mar

2024

Important for F1 to show its values, says Hamilton

LEWIS Hamilton said Formula One faced a pivotal moment and needed to show its values amid controversies away from the track involving leading personalities in the paddock and governing body. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has been in the spotlight after a drawn-out investigation into misconduct allegations by a female employee showed clear divisions behind the scenes. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the governing FIA, has been accused by a whistleblower of attempted interference in a race and allegedly seeking to deny certification of the Las Vegas street circuit that debuted last November. "As someone who loves the sport, it's definitely disappointing to…

Feb

2024

By The African Mirror

Racing for Ferrari fulfils a childhood dream, says Hamilton

MOTORSPORT

LEWIS Hamilton said he was determined to leave Mercedes on a high this season before fulfilling a childhood dream by racing for Ferrari in 2025. Britain's seven-times Formula One world champion stunned the sport when his move on a multi-year deal was announced on Thursday. Hamilton, 39, said in a post on Instagram on Saturday that the decision felt right and reminded him of his move to Mercedes from McLaren at the end of 2012. "I feel incredibly fortunate, after achieving things with Mercedes that I could only have dreamed of as a kid, that I now have the chance to fulfil…

Feb

2024

By MPHO RANTAO

Lewis Hamilton shocks F1 with surprise Ferrari move

MOTORSPORT

WHETHER Formula 1 (F1) chooses to acknowledge this or not, a historic moment happened on February 1, 2024, when Mercedes AMG F1 Petronas team driver Sir Lewis Hamilton was announced to become a Scuderia Ferrari driver from the 2025 F1 season. Social media across all platforms all but shook when British broadcaster Sky Sports F1 News dropped the bombshell reports of Hamilton’s unexpected exit from the Brackley-based team following the 2024 season. The announcement trended higher than the global football deadline day and had football social media accounts reposting the news as well. https://twitter.com/scuderiaferrari/status/1753133900925129140?s=46&t=fie-xWLwPZ0SYPvWeGCBvA It was initially considered a rumour…

Nov

2023

By GABRIEL ARAUJO

Hamilton ‘incredibly proud’ of Vinicius after Socrates Award

MOTORSPORT

Lewis Hamilton said he felt "incredibly proud" to see Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior receive this year's Socrates Award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony and vowed to continue speaking out against racism. Brazilian Vinicius, who has been racially abused in LaLiga games in the last two seasons, was recognised for starting a foundation that is building schools in impoverished areas and investing in education in his home country. "It's really remarkable to see people out there who are facing such challenges and are just being brave in the face of it," Hamilton told Reuters on Wednesday in an interview ahead…

Oct

2023

By ALAN BALDWIN

FIA ‘revisiting’ Hamilton track-crossing incident in Qatar

MOTORSPORT

FORMULA One's governing body is reviewing Lewis Hamilton's punishment for crossing a live track without permission at last weekend's Qatar Grand Prix amid concern the penalty was not tough enough. The seven-times world champion collided with Mercedes teammate George Russell at the first corner at Lusail, abandoning his car in the gravel and crossing the track to return to the pit lane. The Briton was given a reprimand and fined 50,000 euros ($52,545), with 25,000 suspended for the rest of the season on condition he did not do it again. The governing body said on Sunday it was 'revisiting' the…

Jul

2023

By ALAN BALDWIN

Verstappen takes Red Bull’s 11th win in a row

MOTORSPORT

MAX Verstappen won the British Grand Prix to stretch his Formula One lead to 99 points as unbeaten Red Bull equalled McLaren's 1988 record run of 11 victories in a row. McLaren's Lando Norris finished second in front of a roaring 160,000-strong home crowd at Silverstone, with fellow Briton and seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton third for Mercedes after starting seventh. "Eleven in a row. That's pretty crazy," said Verstappen over the team radio after what was also his sixth win in a row and eighth in 10 races this season. The double world champion bagged the fastest lap bonus…

Jun

2023

By ALAN BALDWIN

Verstappen wins in Spain to continue Red Bull sweep

SPORT

MAX Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix from pole position to stretch his Formula One championship lead to 53 points and continue Red Bull's sweep of the season with the team's seventh success in as many races. Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was second for Mercedes, but a distant 24.090 seconds behind, with teammate George Russell completing the podium on a cloudy but dry afternoon at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya. Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Verstappen's closest rival in a season that looks sure to crown the dominant Dutch 25-year-old for a third time, finished fourth after fighting back from 11th…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Hamilton sees Spain as a perfect test for Mercedes

SPORT

SUNDAY'S Spanish Grand Prix should give Mercedes a better picture of the true potential of its upgraded Formula One car, seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton said. Mercedes introduced the upgraded car for last weekend's race in Monaco, with changes to the side pod and suspension, but the nature of the slow and twisty street circuit made it hard to draw any conclusions. "You can't really tell a lot from Monaco, you would never choose to test an upgrade at Monaco," Hamilton told reporters at the Circuit de Catalunya on Thursday. "This is a perfect test track, a lot of…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Hamilton sees himself at Mercedes until ‘last days’

MOTORSPORT

IAN RANSOM LEWIS Hamilton will only leave Mercedes if he feels he has nothing left to give them but would rather see out his "last days" with the Formula One team, the seven-times world champion said. Hamilton is out of contract at the end of the year and speculation about his future is already rife as Mercedes struggle to recapture their past dominance. However, Hamilton said he felt "amazing" about his future with the outfit. "I continue to feel very much at home in this family," the 38-year-old Briton told reporters at Albert Park. "I see myself with Mercedes until…

Nov

2022

By The African Mirror

Mercedes tell Hamilton the seat is his to race into his 40s

SPORT

MERCEDES have told Lewis Hamilton he can be sure of a seat if he wants to stay in Formula One and believe he can emulate NFL great Tom Brady and compete into his 40s. The seven-time world champion and winner of a record 103 races will be 38 in January and has said he intends to sign a multi-year extension to the contract that expires at the end of 2023. "It's 100% his seat," team boss Toto Wolff told reporters at the Mexico City Grand Prix when asked whether Mercedes, who have Britain's George Russell in their other car, might…