7 Titles Down the Road, F1 Centurion Lewis Hamilton Traces His Success to Tennis Titans Serena & Venus Williams

Coming from humble beginnings, Lewis Hamilton stunned the entire world with his undisputed run of success. The glory and the limelight don’t do justice to his struggles while growing up as a racing driver of color. Notably, he is active in his 16th year in F1, and even after all this time, he remains to be the sole black driver to take part in the premier class.

Even though the Stevenage-born racing driver races under a British license, Lewis Hamilton takes immense pride in his Grenadian heritage. Thus, growing up with an ambition to be part of the fiercest grid in motorsport, it was not a cakewalk for the Briton to make his way up the ladder.

In an interview with TIME, Lewis Hamilton revealed how the Williams sisters acted as role models in his formative years. The seven-time F1 world champion said, “They were the two most inspiring sports figures for me.” 

“Especially growing up in my sport, where I’m the only person of color, seeing these two prominent figures, also the only people of color, really gave me a lot of confidence that I can do something similar. It’s not impossible.” 

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In a predominantly white sport, Lewis Hamilton has been the target of many racial slurs, heckling, and boos since his karting days. Nevertheless, the boy with a dream canceled out all the noise with his goal set on reaching the summit. The noteworthy accomplishments of Serena Williams and Venus Williams reassured him that anything is attainable if he puts his heart into it.

For a boy who doubted reaching the pinnacle of motorsport, Lewis Hamilton persevered and became the face of it. With all his accolades, the driver racing with “Still We Rise” on his crash helmet is now synonymous with F1.

The Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams bond

The seven-time F1 world champion and the 23-time Grand Slam winner might compete in entirely different ballparks, but the duo is known to cherish each other’s company from time to time. In the past, Lewis Hamilton has also featured in the grandstands of the court to cheer on the American superstar.

Williams, likewise, has been a guest of Mercedes and has been spotted in high spirits on track frequently. Furthermore, while speaking to TIME, she revealed a secret accessory in her bag that comes in handy if the duo makes an impromptu plan.

The six-time US Open champion admitted she carries a small microphone in her handbag when they go out for impromptu karaoke.

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Earlier this year, Hamilton and Williams joined hands to become mutual business partners. In April 2022, the ownership of the Chelsea soccer club was up for grabs, and they both put in $13 million each in an attempt to get a piece of the pie.

The two athletes are in different spectrums of their careers, with Serena Williams set to retire at the end of the 2022 US Open. Nevertheless, the 37-year-old racing driver is adamant about having fuel left in the tank and eyes a record-breaking 8th F1 world title.

How do you rate the Hamilton-Williams bond? Let us know.

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