F1 has settled down to sip on refreshing drinks during its summer break, but Lewis Hamilton is still traveling the globe. However, he is farthest from racing action. The Mercedes driver is touring the only continent where F1 has no races – Africa. Before exploring his roots in Benin, where the royal family greeted him, Hamilton landed further left in West Africa’s westernmost country – Senegal, a place where a small yet special chapter in his life began.

In 2021, F1’s governing body, FIA, sanctioned an international off-roading racing series, where only all-electric SUVs would race. This marked a new chapter in Lewis Hamilton’s life, who entered the competition as a team owner. Naming his team X44, he signed 9-time Rally champion Sebastian Loeb, and Spanish rally raid driver, Cristina Gutierrez. That year was when he last visited Senegal, which hosted the Ocean X-Prix. Unfortunately for Hamilton, that race was won by his former F1 arch-rival, Nico Rosberg’s team.

But results aside, the Ferrari-bound driver took a liking to the country, and it became a part of his travel itinerary this year. According to ABC Infoslibres.sn, Hamilton visited Senegal, more precisely, Lac Rose (or Lake Retba) during the summer break. Then, as aforementioned, he went a bit east to land in Benin, before heading to Mozambique on the eastern coast. Though Hamilton’s X44 no longer competes in Extreme E, his love affair with Africa will never end. Not only is it the land where his ancestors lived but also the one that gave him his life’s most special experience.

Lewis Hamilton’s ‘life transforming’ journey through Africa in 2022

The end of the 2021 F1 season marked the beginning of one of Lewis Hamilton’s worst periods. Controversially losing the championship to Max Verstappen forced him into an emotional hellhole. The first of 2022 was not much better with Mercedes struggling to keep up with its rivals. But that year’s summer break tour of Africa changed the man he was. From visiting the tribal villages to taking in the peaceful desert vibes, he bathed in bliss. “These past two weeks have been some of the best days of my entire life,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram.

“I’m not the same man I was before this trip, all the beauty, love, and peacefulness I experienced has me feeling fully transformed. No amount of photos could capture how I’m feeling now and what I’m trying to say,” Lewis noted. Encapsulating his emotions in a beautiful phrase, he added, “Just know, where words fall, short emotions run deep. I connected with my roots and my history and I feel my ancestors with me now stronger than I ever have before. Namibia, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania, thank you.”

When F1 returns to Zandvoort in two weeks, home hero Verstappen needs to watch out for a revitalized Hamilton. With two wins in the last three races, the lion has already awoken, and revisiting the continent that changed his worldview will surely bring out the best in him.