Portrait · Liauzh; crop by Mb2437 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Lewis Hamilton

Formula One driver, producer and philanthropist

Born 1985

Sir Lewis Hamilton is a British racing driver, producer and philanthropist whose seven Formula One world championships, 106 Grand Prix victories and 104 pole positions place him among the sport's defining competitors. Born in Stevenage, Hamilton began karting at eight with his father Anthony managing and financing the early campaign, approached McLaren principal Ron Dennis as a child, and entered the McLaren-Mercedes young-driver programme in 1998. Titles in Formula Renault UK, the Formula 3 Euro Series and GP2 preceded a record-setting 2007 Formula One debut in which he won four races and finished one point short of the championship. He became the sport's then-youngest champion in 2008, moved from McLaren to Mercedes for 2013 and built the most successful driver-team partnership of the hybrid era: six further drivers' titles, an unprecedented run of victories and pole positions, and a sustained rivalry with team-mates and champions including Nico Rosberg and Max Verstappen. Hamilton used his visibility to press Formula One on racial equality, funded the Hamilton Commission's research into Black representation in UK motorsport and founded Mission 44 to widen access to education and technical careers. His creative work spans fashion, music and film; through Dawn Apollo Films he produced F1: The Movie, which was filmed around real Grand Prix weekends. In 2025 he began a new chapter with Ferrari, won the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint in his second weekend for the team and endured a first season without a Sunday podium. His second Ferrari campaign brought five podiums and a maiden Scuderia Grand Prix victory at Barcelona-Catalunya by September 2026, when Formula One listed him third in the championship with 191 points after 14 completed Grands Prix, before the Azerbaijan race. Away from the track, his interviews document a long-running plant-based diet, varied endurance and combat-sport training, an expansive love of music and a close bond with his late bulldog Roscoe. He was appointed MBE in 2009, made a Knight Bachelor for services to motorsport in the 2021 New Year Honours, twice voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year and named joint Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2020.

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Connected people

ConnectionAnthony HamiltonFather and early manager who financed and supported Hamilton's karting path.

ConnectionNicolas HamiltonYounger half-brother and racing driver whose career and resilience Hamilton has discussed publicly.

ConnectionRon DennisMcLaren principal who brought Hamilton into the team's young-driver programme and later gave him his Formula One debut.

Selected career chronology

Credits Index

Major screen, stage, music, sport or broadcast work. This is a selected public-career index, not a complete employment history.

Year	Title	Medium	Role
1995	British Cadet Karting Championship	Karting season	Champion
1998	McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Programme	Development programme	Young driver
2003	Formula Renault UK	Single-seater season	Champion
2005	Formula 3 Euro Series	Single-seater season	Champion
2006	GP2 Series	Single-seater season	Champion
2007	2007 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	McLaren driver; championship runner-up with four wins
2008	2008 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	McLaren driver; world champion
2009	2009 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	McLaren driver; two Grand Prix wins
2010	2010 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	McLaren driver; fourth in championship
2011	2011 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	McLaren driver; three Grand Prix wins
2011	Cars 2	Animated feature film	Voice appearance
2012	2012 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	McLaren driver; four Grand Prix wins
2013	2013 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; Hungarian Grand Prix winner
2014	2014 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; world champion with 11 wins
2015	2015 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; world champion
2016	2016 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; championship runner-up
2016	Zoolander 2	Feature film	Cameo appearance
2017	2017 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; world champion
2017	Cars 3	Animated feature film	Voice appearance
2018	2018 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; world champion
2018	Pipe	Song	Guest performer and contributor credited as XNDA
2019	2019 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; world champion
2019	The Game Changers	Documentary	Executive producer and participant
2020	2020 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; record-equalling seven-time world champion
2021	2021 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; championship runner-up
2022	2022 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver
2023	2023 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Mercedes driver; third in championship
2024	2024 Belgian Grand Prix	Grand Prix	Winner
2024	2024 British Grand Prix	Grand Prix	Winner; record ninth Silverstone victory
2025	2025 Formula One World Championship	World Championship season	Ferrari driver
2025	F1: The Movie	Feature film	Producer through Dawn Apollo Films
2025	2025 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint	Sprint race	Winner; first victory in Ferrari colours
2026	2026 Formula One World Championship through September 26	World Championship season	Ferrari driver; third with 191 points after 14 completed Grands Prix
2026	2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix	Grand Prix	Winner; first Grand Prix victory for Ferrari
2026	2026 Monaco Grand Prix	Grand Prix	Second place