‘Proud That My Name is Respected Now’ – Lewis Hamilton Comments on Praise by Sebastian Vettel & Fernando Alonso

Lewis Hamilton, at the moment, is being hailed as one of the greatest F1 drivers to race in the sport. However, his path to glory hasn’t been an easy one. Reason? Well, he has constantly been at the receiving end of criticisms throughout his career.

He was always under a huge amount of pressure from the moment he joined the grid in 2007. Over his rookie season, he straight-away faced a tough teammate in Fernando Alonso, who had just won his second consecutive world championship title.

And the fact that he managed to beat the defending champion only made things worse, as Lewis became a part of a rivalry with Alonso over his very first F1 season.

What’s more, it wasn’t a healthy rivalry, as each race weekend made it uglier, denting the duo’s relationship on and off the track.

It was a similar story with Sebastian Vettel as well. When Mercedes started their fireworks in 2014, Lewis was under threat from just one driver the whole time – Vettel. The duo had several heated moments on the track, which made F1 a treat to watch for the fans.

How the tables have turned at the moment

It’s an entirely different story now. Neither Alonso nor Vettel hold grudges against Lewis, who stole the title hopes from the two on several occasions. Furthermore, Vettel and Alonso have only developed a massive respect for the seven-time world champion.

And the respect doesn’t just stop with the two rivals, as it goes beyond that. The name, ‘Hamilton’ has now become a well-known entity around the world.

Eventually, considering the rising attention for the Briton, UK even ended up awarding Lewis with the honorary title of knighthood.

Following the addition of ‘Sir’ to his name, Lewis’s home circuit, Silverstone, named their main straight ‘Hamilton Straight’ as a respect to the ever-growing Mercedes driver.

Lewis Hamilton reacts to the rising respect to his name

Speaking to Gazzetta, Lewis Hamilton reacted to the respect that’s been showered over him following his dominant F1 career.

“It’s an honor. Because I know how good they (Vettel and Alonso) are and how hard it is to excel at what we do. I’m proud that my name is respected now, after being outraged when I was a boy,” he said.

“I think of my grandparents and I think of my father. I have tried to keep their reputation high. And the fact that the Silverstone straight is now called ‘Hamilton’ is something that makes me proud.”

Overall, it has been a mind-blowing rise in Lewis’s F1 career, considering the worrisome position he was in over the latter part of the 2000s. Now, he is on the verge of carrying his name up a notch, as the Briton could secure a record eighth championship title by 2021.

So, will Lewis Hamilton rise from being ‘one of the best F1 drivers’ to becoming the ‘best-ever F1 driver’? Well, let’s see what the future holds.

Read More: Why do People Hate Lewis Hamilton?