Mercedes F1 Star Lewis Hamilton in Line to Be Crowned Sportsman of the Year

Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton may just add yet another award to his incredible cabinet. The Briton, who was awarded knighthood late last year, is in the running to receive yet another award. This time, it is the Laureus World Sports Award for the ‘Sportsman of the Year 2021’.

This is the fourth time the 36-year-old has been nominated for the award which he won last year. This time around, he will battle against the likes of basketball legend LeBron James, tennis superstar Rafael Nadal and the incredible soccer player Robert Lewandowski for the award.

The Laureus World Sports Award was first handed out in 2000. Current Daimler chairman, Ola Kallenius, along with Johann Rupert, a South African businessman established the award. The idea behind the Laureus organization was to use sports to change the world. It derived inspiration from Nelson Mandela.

Lewis Hamilton reacts to Laureus Award nomination

The 7-times world champion driver who is always ready to learn more said, “It’s an honor to have been nominated for Laureus World Sportsman of the Year alongside some truly incredible athletes. When I look back at the award ceremony last year, it’s hard to believe just how much has changed. 2020 was a difficult year for so many people, for many different reasons and of course the world of sport was hugely affected.

“I was fortunate enough to be able to race and I’m so proud of what we, as a team, were able to achieve together. I’m even prouder of the journey we began towards making the motorsport industry more diverse and inclusive.

“Nelson Mandela was the inspiration behind Laureus and I’m sure he would support everything we can do to use sport to achieve a greater good.”

Hamilton, however, is not the only person from the F1 world in line to win an award.

His team, Mercedes, has also been nominated for the ‘Team of the Year award’. Mercedes will face some stiff competition from two soccer teams, Liverpool and Bayern Munich, the Argentina men’s rugby team, NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, and AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.

Fans can vote for their choice at Laureus.com. F1 fans certainly know who they’ll be backing all the way for the awards. It’ll certainly be great for the sport’s global recognition if both Hamilton and Mercedes win their respective awards. After all, they have deserved it in such a tumultuous year.

Also Read: First Look: This Is Lewis Hamilton’s 2021 F1 Helmet Design With Mercedes