LEWIS HAMILTON polarises opinion like no other sportsman or woman on the planet.
Some love him, some don’t, but one thing we can all surely agree on is he is hugely successful and for that, he deserves to be knighted.
Lewis Hamilton splits public opinion but you cannot argue with six world championships and his achievements are deserving of a knighthoodCredit: EPA
While the likes of Alastair Cook and Andy Murray have been rewarded for their services to their respective sports of cricket and tennis, Hamilton’s achievements in motorsport have gone unrewarded by Her Majesty, despite having won the world title SIX times.
Boris Johnson has been urged to recognise Lewis’s amazing achievement in the New Year’s honours list.
David Richards, chairman of Motorsport UK, and Lord Hain, the former Labour cabinet member, have reportedly written to Mr Johnson asking him to knight the British F1 star.
And not before time, in my eyes.
Now, this is not going to turn into an article about whether the current sporting knights and dames deserve their gongs.
But they do muddy the water in trying to understand just why Hamilton has missed out.
Looking at his on-track success, it is a no-brainer.
Hamilton has raced in 248 F1 GPs and won 83 of them.
He has 87 poles, 150 podiums and 46 fastest laps.
There will be those who say he has only done so because he has driven the best car – and in part they will be correct.
Hamilton receives his MBE from Her Majesty in 2009Credit: PA:Press Association
Lewis Hamilton celebrates his sixth world F1 title and third in a row after he came second in the US GP on SundayCredit: PA:Press Association
Dad Anthony Hamilton hugs Lewis after the Brit won his fifth crown in the past six seasonsCredit: AP:Associated Press
Andy Murray was made an OBE in 2013 and knighted in the 2017 New Year Honours listCredit: AFP
Former England cricket captain Alastair Cook was made a knight for services to cricketCredit: AFP
Mercedes have been impressive, but only in Hamilton’s hands, for his current teammate, Valtteri Bottas – driving equal machinery – didn’t win a single race in 2018.
His recent performances have been ferociously consistent.
He made two mistakes in Germany, spinning in the wet, but largely he has been faultless.
His consistency has been the key this season… ten wins, despite only four poles.
More criticism will come from those who say his sport is niche and as there are only 20 drivers competing in F1, then Hamilton’s chances of winning are undoubtedly high.
Yet the competition to reach F1 is massive and if we turn the question around, how many countries have elite cycling programmes as well funded as we do in Britain?
Is he snubbed because he lives in Monaco and enjoys the benefits of reduced taxation?
Boris Johnson is being urged to knight the Brit after he stormed to victory againCredit: Alamy Live News
The Stevenage-born star proudly represents Britain around the worldCredit: Getty – Contributor
Hamilton is one of Britain’s standout sports stars… but is not yet Sir LewisCredit: AP:Associated Press
He was blasted for his plan to avoid a tax payment on his private jet as implicated in the Paradise Papers, yet there was no charge; he did nothing wrong in the eyes of the law.
Ultimately, his decision to live in Monaco is what he wants, in the same way Mo Farah once moved to Oregon for his Nike project.
Perhaps the reality is whoever draws up the names for the Queen’s Honours Lists doesn’t really like motorsport.
After all, gongs are rarely dished out to those working in motorsport, the biggest example is John Surtees, who died in 2017, and never received the accolade he so deserved.
Lewis Hamilton is now just one world title behind Michael Schumacher
PREVIOUS F1 KNIGHTHOODS
- Sir Jack Brabham (1979) was the first post-war F1 racing driver to be knighted. He remains the only F1 driver to win the world championship driving his own car
- Sir Frank Williams (1999) was the co-founder of Williams Racing, and oversaw seven drivers’ championships.
- Sir Stirling Moss (2000) never won an F1 drivers’ championship, but racked up 212 race wins and was runner-up four times.
- Sir Jackie Stewart (2001) was crowned F1 champ three times, and was runner-up twice in the late 60s and early 70s.
- Sir Patrick Head (2015) is co-founder and former engineering director of the Williams team.
Hamilton, here with Neymar, is a global icon and one of the world’s highest earning sportsmenCredit: PA:Press Association
Lewis Hamilton chills with Neymar and then confirms the PSG star wouldn’t come for a sky dive with him in Qatar
He was crowned the 500cc motorcycle world champion five times AND the 1964 Formula One world champion – the only man to hold both titles.
On top of that, he was also the founder of the Henry Surtees Foundation, set up in memory of his son who died in a Formula 2 crash in 2009.
That charity now helps victims of accidental brain injuries and works to promote safety in driving and motorsport.
A hero on and off the track, Surtees was never properly honoured the way he should have been.
I hope it does not turn out the same way for Lewis.
Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team celebrate after winning his sixth F1 at the weekendCredit: AFP or licensors
Hamilton swept to glory at Sunday’s F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The AmericasCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
