Lewis Hamilton was once the king of Formula 1 before Max Verstappen took away his privilege in 2021. Hamilton was racking up wins like crazy, courtesy of the dominance of Mercedes and his own talent. Lewis Hamilton had many special moments throughout his career and he never forgot to celebrate them.
Lewis is a known personality in the sports world and due to his popularity, he is accustomed to meeting many other legends in different categories. He has dedicated many of his wins to famous people and paid homage to people of color like Chadwick Boseman. Lewis once did a similar gesture for a sports star.
Hamilton hailed Tiger Woods’ remarkable comeback
Tiger Woods is a well-known personality in the sporting world due to his exploits in golf and the multiple titles he has won as a man of color. He had to go through a drought of 11 years before he could win his 15th major title. But, determined as he was, Woods never gave up and kept working on his game. Tiger Woods won the Masters in 2019, making an incredible comeback in one of the most difficult sporting professions.
Lewis Hamilton and Tiger Woods were great friends and it was a lucky coincidence that Lewis won his 75th race at the Chinese GP on the same day Tiger won his 15th title. Lewis was so elated for his friend that he decided to celebrate his stunning comeback by dedicating his 75th victory to Woods.
Lewis later on explained his feelings attached to Woods’s comeback in an interview: “I did see some of the highlights and it was quite emotional to watch just knowing his journey, where he started and the things he has gone through,” Hamilton told Sky Sports News at the Azerbaijan GP. “To come back after so many years is just proof [about] never giving up on your dreams.”
Lewis Hamilton won his 75th GP in China
The 2019 Chinese GP was a historical race, as it marked the 1000th race in Formula 1 history after the very first 1950 Silverstone GP. The race started off with Mercedes securing the front row as usual and Valterri Bottas on pole to try and get ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. Unfortunately, the Finnish driver slumped his start and gave Lewis a chance to disappear ahead of him in Turn 1, right from the start of the race.
What followed was a continued lead by Lewis Hamilton for 56 laps to finish victorious ahead of Bottas and Vettel and secure his 75th GP victory in Formula 1. Hamilton was now leading the driver’s championship with 68 points and had a six-point lead over teammate Valterri Bottas. Lewis acknowledged the role of start in his interview post-race. “The start is really what made the difference,” Hamilton said. “And after that it was kind of history.”
Hamilton has currently won the most races in Formula 1 history but he is on a quest to win even more and secure his coveted eighth title. Will 2024 finally be Mercedes’s year and will Lewis Hamilton be able to break Michael Schumacher’s record of seven titles? Make sure to let us know in the comments.
