Lewis Hamilton Archives - The African Mirror

Jul

2023

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

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…

Dec

2021

By The African Mirror

Hamilton speaks out on human rights in Saudi

SPORT

ALAN BALDWIN SEVEN-TIMES Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton expressed concern about human rights in Saudi Arabia and indicated he did not feel comfortable about having to race in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia is hosting a grand prix for the first time this weekend, a night race around a street circuit in Jeddah, with rights groups accusing the country of using the event to deflect scrutiny from abuses. Hamilton, the sport's most successful driver, said he had received a warm welcome on arrival but felt "duty-bound" to speak out. The Briton, who has used his platform to campaign for diversity…

Nov

2021

By The African Mirror

Hamilton plans to wear Progress Pride helmet in Saudi Arabia

LGBT+

ALAN BALDWIN Seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has said he will wear his rainbow-coloured Progress Pride helmet at next month's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as well as in Qatar this weekend to draw attention to LGBTQ+ intolerance. The sport's most successful driver explained his stance after taking pole position for Mercedes in Doha on Saturday. Saudi Arabia and then Abu Dhabi are the final two races of the season. "I will be using the same helmet through probably the last two races after this, or at least next week also," the title contender told reporters. "On the back it says 'We Stand…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Hamilton’s historic win at Sochi marks his 100th

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO On a partly wet Russian afternoon, world champion Lewis Hamilton drove like a legend to win the Russian Grand Prix, retake the world championship race and became the first driver in F1 history to record 100 victories. After he took the chequered flag, Hamilton conceded that a century of victories was a hard toil all the way. “It was hard work,” he said.”. To get to a hundred…” Hamilton’s driving and Mercedes strategy won the race that many thought was going to be won by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who led the race until lap 50 of the 53…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

MET Gala 2021 presents: the dazzling and the bland

BEAUTY AND FASHION

MPHO RANTAO AFTER a year break due to the covid-19 pandemic, the MET Gala, society’s most anticipated social fashion event of the year, returned to New York’s Metropolitan Museum with one of their most ambiguous themes yet - ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion Part 1’. The 2021 edition of the gala evening was met with a mixture of haute dressed-to-the-nines; social-cultural movement themes; old Hollywood glamour. There were reimaginings of iconic American imagery, old Hollywood glamour and reimaginings of iconic American imagery like the Wild West. There were also risque barely-there looks; underwhelming and absent faces with whom fans…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Bottas leaves Mercedes for Alfa Romeo

SPORT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER AFTER spending the past years playing second fiddle - “wingman” - to Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes driver Valterri Bottas is leaving to become the frontman at Alfa Romeo. Bottas spent five years during which he helped Hamilton win the driver’s championship and Mercedes the constructors title. He will replace the legendary Kimi Raikonnen -”The Flying Finn” - for the 2022 season. Raikonnen, whose career includes driving for Ferrari and Renault, is retiring from F1. Bottas will be replaced by George Russell, whose seat at Williams is expected to be filled by Alexandra Albon. Bottas…