Lewis Hamilton’s lack of popularity: is it cos he is black? | Joseph Harker
The Formula One champion doesn’t seem to earn the plaudits other successful British sports people do, but the criticism of him is ludicrous
Yesterday Lewis Hamilton became the first British driver in more than 40 years to win the Formula One drivers’ championship twice. It was a year in which he won 11 of the 19 races, and sealed the title with victory in Abu Dhabi. This is an amazing achievement for a boy from a humble background in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, whose parents split up when he was just two years old. Highlighting how exceptional a story this is, his closest rival, teammate Nico Rosberg, is the son of a former F1 champion and was raised in Monaco.
Added to this is the fact that Hamilton is the first and only black driver ever to make it into this sanctified world. Like Tiger Woods in golf and Venus and Serena Williams in tennis, he’s blown open the doors of a previously exclusive set and fought his way to the pinnacle. The first time he won the title, in 2008, he was also the youngest ever world champion, so this is truly a boy’s own story of success against the odds.
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