Lewis Hamilton set himself on a path to Formula 1 when he introduced himself to McLaren team boss Ron Dennis at an award ceremony in 1995.

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 with the media.
14.09.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 16, Singapore Grand Prix, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, Preparation Day.
– www.xpbimages.com, EMail: requests@xpbimages.com © Copyright: Bearne / XPB Images

The nine-year-old approached Dennis, asked for his autograph, and said “Hello.” I’m Lewis Hamilton. I won the British championship, and one day I hope to be racing your cars.”

Born: January 7th, 1985
Stevenage, United Kingdom, is where I was born.
Find all the RaceFans readers who support Hamilton.
Jump to McLaren: 2007–2012.
Mercedes: 2013 –
It won Hamilton the patronage and support of one of Formula One’s premier teams, and 13 years later, he made his grand prix debut for them.

Hamilton went on to equal and then surpass his hero Ayrton Senna, a former McLaren driver. He won seven world titles, equal Michael Schumacher’s record, and became the first driver in history to win 100 grand prix.

Before that, there was the minor matter of progressing through the lower ranks of motorsport, which Hamilton accomplished with remarkable success.

Lewis Hamilton’s biography
Karting
Hamilton’s initial experience with motorsport came from driving remote controlled (RC) cars. His father Anthony purchased him one in 1991, and at the age of six, Hamilton finished second in a national RC racing championship. “I was racing these remote-controlled cars and winning club championships against adults,” Hamilton told me. After that, Anthony worried if Lewis’ skills would translate to full-size motorsport.

He began racing at the age of eight, and two years later won the British karting championship (cadet class) and the STP karting championship. In 1996, Hamilton competed in cadet class karting, winning the Champions of the Future series and becoming Sky TV KartMasters and Five Nations Champion. The following season, he competed in Junior Yamaha, winning the Champions of the Future series as well as the Super One series, and repeating as British Champion.

Dennis wrote in Hamilton’s signature book during their first meeting, “Phone me in nine years, we’ll sort something out then.” In 1998, he was accepted into the McLaren Driver Development Support scheme. At the age of 13, he became the youngest driver ever hired by an F1 squad. The pact guaranteed financial and technical support, as well as an option to enter Formula One in the future.

That year, he advanced to Junior Intercontinental A, where he placed second in the McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future and fourth in the Italian Open Championship. More Junior Intercontinental. In 1999, success was achieved. He was the Vice European Champion, won the Trophy de Pomposa, and finished fourth in the Italian Open Championship.

Advert | Become a Supporter & Go Ad-Free

That year, he also competed in Intercontinental A, winning the Italian ‘Industrials’ Championship. The following year of karting resulted in an even larger number of wins. He was the European Formula A Champion, having won all four rounds.
He also won the World Cup Championship in Japan, the Elf Masters in Bercy, France, and advanced to the second round of the Italian Open. Recognising his success, the British Racing Drivers’ Club named him a ‘Rising Star’ Member.

In 2001, he faced off against Michael Schumacher, who made a guest appearance at the German’s home track in Kerpen. Hamilton finished behind Ferrari’s hero, who had won four world championships by that point.