Lewis Hamilton, born on 7 January 1985 in Stevenage, is a British Formula 1 driver who races for Ferrari. Hamilton has won seven world titles, making him a record-holder alongside Michael Schumacher.

Lewis Hamilton had a remarkable career from the moment he first stepped into a racing car. Although he missed out on the title by just one point in his first year with McLaren, he became the youngest world champion a year later, a record later taken over by Sebastian Vettel. After a frustrating 2009 season, in which he finished only P5, and a four-year period dominated by Red Bull Racing, Hamilton took a risk by moving to Mercedes’ works team.

At Mercedes, Hamilton entered a dominant period. He did face competition from teammate Nico Rosberg, who won the title in 2016. When Rosberg decided to retire at the end of that season, Valtteri Bottas took his place. The Finn was later replaced by young talent George Russell.

In 2021, Hamilton became involved in an intense title fight with Max Verstappen, which the Dutchman ultimately won. A year later, Mercedes fell back sharply under the new technical regulations. After difficult seasons in 2022 and 2023, Hamilton finally managed to win another Grand Prix in 2024, doing so on home soil in Great Britain.

In 2025, Hamilton endured a disastrous season. In his debut year with Ferrari, he did not finish on the podium once in a Grand Prix. His new team shifted its focus to the 2026 car relatively early because of the major regulation changes coming into effect. The hope is that Hamilton will be able to prove himself properly with the Italians in that season.

In 2026, Lewis Hamilton needs to perform better than he did the year before, something the Brit repeatedly stressed during the closing races of 2025. Ferrari switched its focus to the new car earlier than most other F1 teams last year. That is because the technical regulations have changed dramatically, with both the chassis and the power unit looking completely different in 2026.

The seven-time world champion approached the 2026 season with renewed purpose, already showing stronger pace than last year during pre-season testing. Hamilton backed up those early impressions with a solid fourth place in Melbourne, finishing just behind his teammate.

His first real breakthrough since joining Ferrari came in China - the same circuit where he had taken his first and only Sprint victory of 2025 - as he finally secured his first official Grand Prix podium for the Maranello outfit.That positive momentum did not carry over into the next two rounds, with Hamilton finishing sixth in both Suzuka and Miami, although in Florida his race was compromised by first-lap contact with Franco Colapinto.

In Canada, however, at the circuit where he has won seven times, Hamilton once again proved he still has plenty left in the tank. The Brit delivered relentless pace throughout the race before pulling off a spectacular move around the outside of Max Verstappen in the closing stages - hardly one of the easiest drivers to overtake.

Hamilton revisited the topic of simulator work after the Canadian Grand Prix. Following a difficult outing in Miami, the Ferrari driver had explained that he wanted to take a step back from the sim and return to a more natural approach to driving, despite continuing to work closely with the team at Maranello on development matters. Speaking again in Montreal after another strong performance, Hamilton revealed that his best weekends so far this season had both arrived without heavy simulator involvement beforehand. The seven-time world champion suggested that throughout his career he has generally delivered his strongest performances when relying more on instinct and on-track feeling rather than excessive virtual preparation, while still acknowledging that the sim remains a valuable asset for Ferrari from a technical and development standpoint.

It was announced in 2024 that Lewis Hamilton would leave Mercedes after twelve seasons to join Ferrari. His debut year, however, was anything but a success. Charles Leclerc still managed to secure several podium finishes in the difficult SF-25 in 2025, but Hamilton failed to do so even once in a Grand Prix.

It was the first time in his Formula 1 career that the seven-time world champion did not finish in the top three at any point during the season. The only real highlight of a disastrous year came in China, where he won the sprint race from pole position. Ferrari gave up on the 2025 season earlier than many other teams in order to focus on the new cars for 2026.

Mercedes entered the 2021 Formula 1 season as overwhelming favourites, but it quickly became clear that Red Bull Racing had done an excellent job. What followed was a season in which tensions rose sharply between the two teams, as well as between drivers Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen and team principals Toto Wolff and Christian Horner.

That tension reached its peak in the final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The circuit clearly suited Mercedes more than Red Bull and the outcome seemed almost settled. Red Bull, however, beat its rival strategically, and a late safety car gave Verstappen one final lap to snatch the title. He took that chance immediately, leaving Hamilton’s hopes of an eighth championship in ruins.

At the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton and Verstappen once again locked horns. On the opening stint, Verstappen got past Hamilton  into Turn 1. Later on, the seven-time world champion returned him the favour, overtaking the Red Bull Racing driver around the outside in the same corner. After the race, the two former rivals had a calm, nice chat in the cooldown room. They praised each other after a stunning battle at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Hamilton is regarded as one of the most successful Formula 1 drivers of all time. No one has taken more wins than the Brit, who has collected 105 Grand Prix victories and 104 pole positions in his career. He has won seven world titles, putting him level with Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton’s total net worth is estimated at more than 300 million euros. A large part of that wealth consists of property. He owns a penthouse in New York worth close to 40 million euros, as well as a London home valued at around 23 million euros. He also owns homes in Switzerland and Monaco.

Hamilton’s salary at Ferrari in 2025 was reportedly more than 60 million euros. That made him the highest-paid driver on the current grid in terms of base salary. Max Verstappen, however, earned more over the course of the 2025 season thanks to the much larger bonuses he collected.

Hamilton is currently single. In 2023, the rumour mill was in full swing around the then Mercedes driver and Colombian pop singer Shakira, who was spotted several times in the Brit’s company. Whether that connection was purely friendly or romantic, it never developed into a serious relationship.

In 2025, Hamilton was mainly linked to Sofia Vergara. The two were seen together in the United States during the winter break. Vergara is a Colombian actress and model. It remains unclear whether there was actually anything going on between her and Hamilton.

In 2026, speculation picked up again after Hamilton was seen several times in the company of Kim Kardashian. The Ferrari driver has refused to comment on his connection with the reality star, so it remains unclear whether the relationship is purely friendly or romantic.

The F1 movie was released in 2025 and was co-produced by Lewis Hamilton. The film offers a unique look inside the highest class of motorsport. Brad Pitt and Damson Idris play drivers for the fictional team ApexGP. For several scenes, the Hollywood crew was present at various circuits during official Formula 1 Grands Prix in 2023 and 2024.

The film tells the story of Sonny Hayes, played by Pitt, and Apex GP. By using both real footage from circuits and advanced CGI technology, the visuals are generally highly impressive.

Lewis Hamilton was born on 7 January 1985 in Stevenage, England, to Anthony Hamilton and Carmen Larbalestier. He has a younger brother, Nicolas Hamilton. He is currently 40 years old. Hamilton is 1.74 metres tall and weighs 73 kilograms.

The seven-time world champion was regularly seen in the paddock with his loyal bulldog Roscoe. Sadly, shortly before the Singapore Grand Prix in 2025, news broke that Hamilton’s dog had died. Many colleagues and prominent figures from Formula 1 offered their support to the Brit. Fans also rallied around their idol during that difficult period.

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