Brazil is a very special country for Sir Lewis Hamilton. Primarily there are two reasons; first, Hamilton’s racing idol, Ayrton Senna, belongs to the Land of Samba. Second, he is an honorary citizen of the country. So, Lewis never misses an opportunity to express his gratitude for Brazil. Moreover, he takes chances at appreciating the athletes who come from the noble land of the Amazon. From iconic footballers to surfers, everyone has received gentle words of praise from the F1 Ace.

A few days ago, Brazilian shortboard surfer Gabriel Medina gave the world a dreamlike moment. Conquering the largest wave of the day at Teahupoo, Tahiti, he earned the highest individual surfing score in Olympic history. His surreal mid-air float next to his surfboard went viral on Instagram, and even appeared on Lewis Hamilton’s story. Hamilton admired the grace and grandeur Medina displayed across the waves and into the air. Now, the same Gabriel has finished his surfing event at the Paris Olympics 2024.

A world-class athlete of his caliber couldn’t stay away from the medals. Standing sharp and brave on the third spot, the Brazilian clinched the Bronze medal. He shared a series of photos depicting his historic achievement, and the first picture of the carousel is particularly ethereal. Standing by the seashore with a beautiful sunset behind him, Gabriel Medina’s proud silhouette carried the shining Bronze medal in his hands. Moreover, a heartfelt message decorated the caption. Lewis, send two words of appreciation for the surfer. He wrote: “Well done 👏🏾👏🏾” This appreciation will be a great boost to the surfer’s spirit.

Thus, Lewis Hamilton never forgets how Brazilian he is. Most importantly, Gabriel Medina’s outstanding achievements at the Olympics are worth celebrating. Moreover, Hamilton’s encouraging words would be a great boost for the surfer. This little celebration by the F1 legend brings back memories from when he became an honorary Brazilian.

Ahead of the 2022 São Paulo GP, Lewis Hamilton was honored with Brazilian citizenship

In 2017, Lewis Hamilton was gifted a replica of Ayrton Senna‘s 1987 helmet. It was an extremely emotional moment for the 7x World Champion. After all, he had his hero’s racing statement. Five years later, Hamilton became an honorary citizen of Brazil. At the Chamber of Deputies in Brasilia, the Mercedes star noted the influence Senna had on him since his early days. Lewis shared, “I want to dedicate today, this honor, to Ayrton Senna – to Ayrton’s family, to his friends, and his fans. For me, when I was five years old, I saw Ayrton race for the first time, and that was the moment I knew that I wanted to be a world champion, just like him.”

Hamilton has outdone the legendary Brazilian racer. The Briton has broken Senna’s records and rewrote history in his way. And somewhere from up above, from the land of the stars, Ayrton is surely smiling at Hamilton, for no one but he was the true heir of F1’s legacy, of Ayrton Senna’s legacy. During his prime, the Brazilian legend won three world championships. He was further overlapped by Michael Schumacher, who in turn was overlapped by Lewis Hamilton.

Standing at par with these racing legends, one can truly say that Lewis Hamilton is the greatest F1 driver of the decade. His love and dedication for not just his country but also for the one that gave him special citizenship shows his greatness as a person as well. Moreover, Gabriel Medina’s performance will also add his name to the Brazilian Hall of Fame. The ever-thrilling world of sports continues to surprise us with new adventures and heart-touching stories. Meanwhile, share your thoughts on this in the comments.