When it comes to racing drivers who seem to have it all, Lewis Hamilton is hard to beat. Watching him drive effortlessly around the Grand Prix tracks of the world, it’s as though he’s not on a real F1 track but behind the wheel of a driving simulator.
The 33 year old currently dominates Formula 1 and looks on course to win a fifth world championship. He seems unstoppable, and is certainly up there with the all time greats of the sport. He has the highest number of pole positions in F1 history with 85 to Michael Schumacher’s 68, and is chasing down the records he hasn’t yet beaten. Those seven world championship titles of Schumacher’s that seemed so untouchable not that long ago, now look within touching distance.
He’s a racing superstar, that’s for sure. But what else do you know about Lewis Hamilton? Here’s 5 other amazing facts you may not know about Britain’s greatest racing driver:
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He has tattoos which have a deep meaning
In a recent photoshoot for Men’s Health magazine, Hamilton posed shirtless and ended up revealing more about himself than he had ever in the past. Religious images account for the majority of his tattoos such as the tattoo of Pieta – a Michelangelo sculpture of Mary holding Jesus after he came down off the cross – on his shoulder, which suggests that Hamilton is strong in his faith. On his arm you can see musical notes which represent his love for music and there is also a sacred heart. On his chest he has a tattoo of a compass which he says signifies the fact that the church is his compass.
When it comes to inked words, he has the word ‘family’ tattoed across his shoulders and the word ‘faith’ on his chest, along with a phrase that reads ‘powerful beyond measure’. His back too has a tattoo of a large cross with angel wings. It reads ‘rise above it, no matter what life throws at you’. He is clearly a spiritual guy.
His brother is a racing car driver too
Lewis isn’t the only racing Hamilton! His half brother Nicolas is also a talented racing driver too who currently races in the British Touring Car Championship.
Nicolas was born prematurely and when he hadn’t walked or crawled by the age of two, his family discovered that he had cerebral palsy. But he hasn’t let that hold him back. With the assistance of a specially modified car, he has made a huge success of his driving career.
Nicolas’s first race, which Lewis helped him to get started in, may not have ended well as he finished 15th out of 17, but this failure couldn’t dampen his spirits and he is now a celebrated driver in his own right.
He has written 80 songs
The Hamiltons are a talented bunch. Not only can Lewis Hamilton get around a race track in a world record time, but he also sings and writes music too and has over 80 songs to his name.
He dedicates a lot of time to music when he is not racing and whilst other racers are recovering from fatigue after a race or are out, busy partying, Lewis can be found penning lyrics and beats in the recording studio.
However, he says there is no dispute in his mind about whether to continue racing, or pursue a music career; racing is where his focus and his life is. He modestly acknowledges that where music is concerned, Beyonce and Adele are in the premier league whereas he is just happy to be able to play.
Hamilton says that music helps him to relax and he prefers to call music his side gig. In September 2015, he created an F1 soundtrack in partnership with Spinz Beats and Bose.
He owns a private jet and an insane collection of cars
It might come as little surprise to you to find out that Lewis Hamilton has an insane collection of cars. And the fastest man on the race track has an impeccable taste when it comes to his wheels off the track.
He owns a custom made Pagani Zonda 760 LH along with a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, a Ferrari LaFerrari, a McLaren P1, a 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra and a Mercedes-AMG SLS black series.
He has also expressed his desire to be the first owner of a Maybach 6 to add to the Mercedes-Maybach S600 which he already owns. He is also fond of bikes and loves riding his Honda CRF450RX motocross bike and Maverick X3. In his free time, he works with motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta on their limited edition bikes such as Dragster RR LH44. He also owns a private jet which is shaped like a Bombardier Challenger 605.
One other interesting fact… Hamilton crashed his beloved £1.5 million Zonda 760 LH after striking a stationary car in the early hours of one morning in Monaco. But with a V12 AMG engine and top speeds of up to 350 kph, it’s a beast most of us would struggle to tame.
He has raced to finish pizza
It is well known that Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have been good friends since they were little. They raced against each other on the go-karting circuit and have practically grown up together. They have raced together, been room mates, and shared the same F1 dream. So it’s perhaps no surprise to learn that there’s a bit of healthy competitive spirit when it comes to the two of them. Who knew it extended to pizza eating though? Apparently the pair would regularly race to finish pizzas, stuffing their mouths almost at the same velocity that they would drive their cars. But the races always ended with laughter. It’s a shame they don’t end the same way now.
Perhaps the most amazing fact about Lewis Hamilton is just how driven, inspirational and motivated he is. He’s changed the face of F1, and he’s not done yet.