The Decision that Defined Lewis Hamilton’s Career | Performance People

With an astonishing seven Formula One Driver Championships, 201 podiums and 105 race wins, Sir Lewis Hamilton’s career record is unparalleled in the history of his sport. His prodigious natural talent combined with a relentless will to win saw him become the most successful rookie in history back in 2007 and he’s never looked back, except to check his rivals in the mirror.
In the second episode in our ‘A Moment in Time’ series of Performance People with the Inside Tack podcast, Lewis looks back on the defining moments in his career, starting with the decision to join Mercedes that sent his career on to a new level. He remembers the thrills of his formative days in karting which shaped so many of the attributes that mark him out as such a special driver, he reflects on how he’s learned to handle the responsibility of carrying the hopes of his entire team on race weekend and looks back on some of the individual races and moments that have stayed with him.
Georgie Ainslie’s podcast Performance People sees the sports broadcaster and ainslie + ainslie founder chat to high performing people in sport on how they got to the top and the journey they have been on to get there. Episodes every Tuesday.
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[@jamal1493]

What an absolute legend Lewis Hamilton is

[@dane458]

Think we will only truly appreciate him in the history books. A black kid in a world of adversity, going on to conquer and dominate the pinnacle of motorsport, rewriting the rulebook.

[@courtneyswaby3178]

Absolutely!

[@marcelvanrijn1388]

Yess after Ascari,Schumacher,max Verstappen,Senna ,Hamilton . He earnt that 5 th place he is also fantastic.the other 4 had little more natural talent.but really fantastic careeer. Some said the idiot dominance off Mercedes more much stronger than Redbull. What happened when Rosberg drive longer in Mercedes?.. whe shall never no.

[@ChrissieSpencer-Cox-di6nw]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Don-Royall]

​@@marcelvanrijn1388he far superior to all of those Only Clark is better

[@zainabmustapha5742]

love how she addresses him as Sir LEWIS , people should really get used to it cuz he is literally a knight.. respect it

[@sam.victor470]

Elevation to a Life Peerage in the House of Lords, Palace of Westminister, is the next inexorable move forward and upward; for services to diversity, inclusivity and anti-mysoginy in youth technological development and engineering education, training for the 40,000 odd occupations in international motorsport. He is destined (upon retirement) to become The Right Honourable The Baron Hamilton MBE Hon.FREng of Stevenage in the County of Hertfordshire

[@graemeorr5884]

I'm British and the only thing I'd refere to him as is a tosser 😂😂

[@sam.victor470]

@@graemeorr5884 The legendary racing driver and multiple world championships title winner, Sir Lewis Hamilton, is very, very wealthy; pays no income tax in his Monaco Principality residency; owns multiple luxury mansions all over the world; owns a luxury yacht moored in Monte Carlo harbour to entertain celebrity guests; he gets to drive supercars worth $Millions for free and chooses a squeeze from a bevy of beautiful haute couture fashion models and high profile popular music divas; part-owns an international vegan restaurant chain with Leonardo di Caprio and film production company with Brad Pitt for exclusive blockbuster movies . . .who's the tosser?

[@joshn1678]

​@@graemeorr5884 that's because you're a loser.

[@AJ-hb7ro]

Bit cringe

[@dianamaioru497]

Sir Lewis is a global ICON. What a wonderful interview from the F1 GOAT. Love him to bits, such a charming and intelligent man. 👑

[@courtneyswaby3178]

That comment almost brought a tear .

[@JonnyMc7]

How can anybody not like this man. He’s just pure honest kind and has an amazing talent and an inspiration for millions of people. He brought me back to watching F1 back in 2007 and been following him since. His work with charities and setting up multiple businesses and charities that are there helping people is amazing. He is a true great

[@sirrabhsurya5087]

I’m a little disappointed he did not mention Niki lauda who had a key role in convincing him to go to Mercedes

[@sam.victor470]

@@JonnyMc7 "How anybody can not like this man..." It is because he is indeed so very likeable and has that enviable quality of 'tunnel vision'; and in the so very applicable words of The Rev'd Dr Martin Luther King: "I've been to the mountain top; I've looked out over yonder and I've seen 'The Promised Land'; I may not get there with you, but my eyes have seen The Glory of The Coming of The Lord!"

[@sam.victor470]

@@sirrabhsurya5087 Actually, Austrian Niki Lauda, 3×F1 GP WDC TITLE WINNER and CEO of commercial aviation company, played down his role in recruiting Hamilton for Mercedes AMG; preferring to talk up Ross Brawn (Brawn GP owner & 2009 F1 WCC WINNER - sold the team to Mercedes and stayed on as Team Principal) He, Ross Brawn, (according to Lauda), sold replacing German G.O.A.T. Michael Schumacher in a mid-table team to partner 'Monaco Principality - Reared posterboy' Nico Rosberg, (with the father Finnish Keke Rosberg,1982 F1 GP WDC TITLE WINNER) precisely why Sir 'LionHeart' Hamilton ought to 'take a leap of faith.' The deal was apparently done around the London house kitchen table of Carmen Larbalestier, birth mother of Sir Lewis. (Many reasons why he took his own mother as family member, to Windsor Castle for elevation to A Knight of The Realm, by now, His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). Executive Director Niki Lauda, also spread the positive vibes, (with back up from another mentor of Sir Lewis, the greatest British racing driver never to win a F1 World Championship, but 4×runner up to the immortal Juan Manuel Fangio - the great Sir Stirling Moss OBE), as the Daimler Benz main board of directors overseering Mercedes AMG, were quite diffident about a non-German speaker; seriously preferred north Germany-born, fluent Dutch speaker 'Nico Hulkenberg': as the tatooed, pierced earrings, mixed race kiddiewinkie from McLaren, albeit the 2008 F1 GP WDC TITLE WINNER was dubious at best for the haughty German manufacturer's global image . . . However, Sir Stirling was an international lifetime ambassador of Mercedes Benz, having won many Grand Prix in 1950s and who simply said: "There're many drivers on The Grid who're great racing drivers, but few indeed who're great racers. Lewis is a phenominal racer!" The late, lamented Niki Lauda and Sir Stirling were utterly convinced that Sir Lewis was exactly the right racing driver to take Mercedes AMG Petronas to the next level. Ross Brawn being the only other British team member, (until he left to join Formula One as MD and Austrian Toto Wolff bought a part-ownership), used the English language nuance to convince Hamilton to join Mercedes against all advice of bemused on-lookers. Only Ross Brawn MBE is sadly still in the land of the living, to confirm, with Sir 'LionHeart' Lewis, that the latter was absolutely the best candidate for the team. The Legendary Sir Lewis Hamilton is The First Ever and To Date, The Only F1 GP 'CENTURION' with: 104×F1 GP POLE POSITIONS 105×F1 GP VICTORIES 176×F1 GP FRONT ROW STARTS 201×F1 GP PODIUM FINISHES $100Million pa salary @ Ferrari in 2025. . .

[@sunizzo]

There needs to be movie made about this man. Maybe the people behind the King Richard film. I really want him to win a championship with Ferrari before he bows out. He truly deserves it.

[@christinewanjiru467]

I'm with you on this one.

[@SuperBranFlakez]

every 5 mins the actor in the film has to say thankyou to the factory and or im so grateful for the fans

[@sunizzo]

@@SuperBranFlakezit’s called having class and knowing that it takes more than an individual to win races/championships.

[@SuperBranFlakez]

@@sunizzo and every 7 minutes “that’s some dangerous driving man”

[@sunizzo]

@@SuperBranFlakez i agree, if he’s racing crashstappen in the movie he’ll definitely have to say that line multiple times😂😂

[@delicatelavender]

Everything he's talking about moving to Mercedes is a parallel to him moving to ferrari

[@dianamaioru497]

I hope it rings true this time as well, I really do.

[@judecorlette6817]

​@dianamaioru497 likewise, I just want him to win one more WC 🙏🏾

[@dhehighlights3209]

@@judecorlette6817same here I want him to retire with 8th WDC

[@cloudkungfu]

@@dhehighlights3209that would be perfect, 4+4

[@kazhudson1592]

The Best Ever classy, funky, no fear, Unique 👌😎💜

[@ariczhang6371]

Beautiful Human Being. On and Off the Grid. Respect! Sir!

[@DineoMo4501]

Beautiful interview with Sir Lewis Hamilton, such an inspiration and you can see the growth in him from when he started and now.

[@amsf1]

You sir are the GOAT. We hear the disrespect you get and have always gotten from the British media and 🤡 like brundle. Youre the best to ever do it and at this point you're greater than the sport. Always keep your head high because we will be here wherever you choose to go. Best of luck and blessings at Ferrari next year. Keep praying because prayer works.

[@disapphire]

Amen 🙏🏾

[@rossa809]

What a brilliant addition to the Performance People podcast. Loving this podcast even more now.

[@paulsterling2610]

He said he meditated and prayed regarding decision to join mercedes he has certainly done the same with his ferrari move

[@tigerrx7]

He appears so relaxed and at-home in this interview

[@iulia9166]

Our champ, the 🐐 Forever

[@kikicas5555]

this man is gorgeous

[@eliotsalandybrown]

❤ Thanks for helping us get closer to this kind, thoughtful, inspiring person 🙏

[@lilyjones8145]

Great interview, Lewis is such an inspiration to many people who have dreams. He is remarkable, innate natural talent, not just for racing. Also a beautiful, humble human being. Hope his decision to go to Ferrari is just as prophetic 💜

[@JonnyMc7]

True words well said and I hope his time at Ferrari ends up being just as prophetic as you said too

[@lilyjones8145]

@@JonnyMc7 thank you, I cannot wait to see him in red 👌

[@joeyandreidelacruz1434]

GOAT

[@hms053]

Love this man

[@stormforce7599]

He is the best and regardless of what Mercedes and RB,Sky and the rest of the big players in the sport think or try to do. He will never be beaten and a brilliant world champion in the sport because he drives clean and fair. Look at all the other world champions in the sport over the years, just about all of them excluding Lewis had some serious issues with either cheating or race fixing etc.

[@matthewbole989]

Great Interview Georgie - I was glad to hear Sir Lewis say Silverstone 2008 was one of his best F1 wins, I was here at Copse Corner so first corner he came past after crossing the finishing Line with massive gap to P2 ! The Crowd Raw was louder than his 2.4 L V8 Engine when he crossed the line - Down side of the day, I was in that spot from 05:30am ( General administration ) & it rained all day ! Until last 10 laps of the race and it was clear skies and sunny which made celebrations great. I'm also a massive Alex Thompson Fan & He did not sail around the Isle of Man ! Like he said to you, I guess you knew this & was being polite not to correct him ? It was Round the Island race in the Solent ( Isle Of Wight ) & Alex did crash before crossing the start line in His Mighty Hugo Boss Imoca 60 - Lewis was not at the Helm at the time, As you know there crazy amount of boats trying to get of the line ! Brilliant Pod Cast.

[@Kassiusday]

We call him “Sir” !!!! !!!

[@scheeseb]

The camera is focused on the wall behind Lewis 😆

[@dianamaioru497]

I saw that too and I couldn't unsee it, then I decided to convince myself that it was on purpose to show his ethereal aura so that I embrace it as part of the experience instead of being bothered by it.

[@christinewanjiru467]

I know who my GOAT is ❤

[@Zokiana]

Sir Lewis 🐐

[@tixacamera7867]

Encantada de conocer un poco más el mundo de las carreras! Gracias

[@K.D.6924HH]

When would the Interview be recorded?

[@nerdcentral4784]

Powerfull

[@Vodoochic]

I LOVE THIS MAN.

[@paulsterling2610]

Winning on three wheels with the so called best tallent ever in f1 chasing him yet the childish 1 could not catch or pass

[@Myopinion678]

He looks gorgeous

[@disapphire]

He is ❤❤❤

[@rosariobullon9531]

❤MARAVILLOSO SER HUMANO❤❤❤❤❤

[@glockutube]

Amazing

[@stannis7656]

Nicee! SLH my goat!!

[@grzegorzgreg09]

❤Lewis Hamilton❤

[@Starberry444]

I hope he wins that 8th championship (and he won’t get robbed of it!) before he retires.

[@calvinwilliams-p8q]

My favourite race is you and rusburg think it was dubai

[@sam.victor470]

Really don't imagine that Sir 'LionHeart' Lewis has encouraged many celebrity women that he's friends with, to claim a 'romantic liaison.' On the contrary, at a lively 39 years of age, somewhat surprisingly, many women who feature in his life, are of quite a mature nature. For example, his birthmother Carmen Larbalestier, is 68. He chose her as his accompanying family member to Windsor Castle for his being made a Knight of the Realm, with dubbing on both shoulders with the Royal sword, by His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (In 2021 he was still His Royal Highness Prince Charles the Prince of Wales, heir to the throne of his mother Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II). However, one does digress. . . Sir Lewis's elder half-sister, from his mother's other marriage, Nicola Lockhart, (and to whose 2 children he is a doting, fun times uncle), she is in her 40's. His long-time performance coach and travelling physiotherapist, Angela Fera Cullen, is 50 years old. Linda Hamilton, his stepmother (and his father's other marriage), is 58 years old. His good friend from the world of high fashion,(having been M/C at Milan catwalks featuring design collaborations with Tommy Hilfiger streetwear collection shows), supermodel Naomi Campbell, "I don't get out of bed in the morning for less than $10,000 a photo-shoot!" She is 54 years of age. A close business co-ownership and fun friend, (especially with karoke), Serena Williams, ex-tennis superstar multi- champion, is 43. Nicole Scherzinger, ex-Pussy-Cat Dolls group singer and showbiz diva, (whom he shared a 7 years-long on-off relationship) is 46 years old. A short-term, but intense (ex-Miss World), the German-born Miss Grenada, Vivian Burkhardt, is 40. An international singer and music diva Christina Aguilera, for whom he guested a rap session on her music album and she nervously appeared in the Mercedes Paddock at a Monaco Grand Prix . . .she is 43. The Trinidad-born, Americ based, part Chinese rap singer, who came out claiming 'something's happening' on live television, saying that they were an item; was brought back to reality by Sir Lewis making it quite clear, that it was a brief interlude in Dubai, for the sheer fun of the moment. She is 40. Danielle Lloyd, a Miss England, who stayed friends after their year, long distance liaison, had reached it's natural course and ended. She is 40. Shakira Mebarak Ripoll, the sellout superstar international Spanish language diva. She is fluent in her native South American Spanish; also English; her Lebanese father's ethnic Arabic; Portuguese; Italian and French. The friends share a common interest in open sea surfing. Now resident in Miami Florida, with her 2 young sons by ex-partner, (retired Barcelona football player Gerard Pique'). She also has academic affilations from private study at a California institute; and, is a multi- instrumentalist as well as a singer/songwriter. Sir Lewis wants to be a parent one day soon and that is not going to happen with Shakira, who is 47 years of age. She, in all probability, believes that she has already done her bit for the continunity of the human race. Do you see an age pattern developing here?

[@wandaorth6324]

❤😊charakter😊❤

[@GauravDevrani-cc7vr]

Take out the Merc move and it was a very very average career to be fair with Max 30 wins. Hate it when people say Max got the rocketship

[@nayelisalexandra1922]

I Know some people say he sounds American but like I just dont think so. Like he has some sort of accent

[@kkapalle]

I’m glad that he has not this terrible British accent 😊

[@disapphire]

From all the years and years of continuous travel his British accent has watered down a bit I believe. As an American he still sounds quite British to me.

[@Vodoochic]

Lewis develops a car that is why his decision was easy

[@suzettephinn7829]

❤❤❤❤

[@memelord2581]

She looks like rhenea from hotd

[@xxxremastered3264]

💯💯💯

[@gregbrougham6903]

He does have a bad memory - the 2008 yacht race was of course the RTIR and it was the Isle of Wight, not Man

[@seyramamezah3815]

Friendly advice don't watch the scandals of Schumacher and Senna before watching Abu Dhabi 21. You will get funny ideas. Good bye

[@courtneyswaby3178]

Thanks for the warning , I want pleasure not pain 😄

[@SuperBranFlakez]

He wasnt comfortable going against fernando alonso thats it

[@AshmitaGhimiray]

Watching some sporadic interviews with Lewis on the internet is the best when it's a non racing week. He is without any doubt the best on and off the grid. However, as a LH fan and a video expert I am kinda disappointed by this video. Why is he out of focus? You cannot afford to do such a big goof up when you're shooting a celebrity like that. Colour grading is also not working great on him. Hope you guys fix it the next time..

[@fernandosantos4763]

105

[@kerrsteel2]

Did he mention sacking his Father Anthony from his team, the man who put up the millions to get His Shyness into F1 and when the poor man turned up at races to watch his son, The Leader of The Knee People told toto to ban him from the garage.

[@RB71073]

Get a life.

[@davidkennedy6351]

sir Lewis. He accepts an honour from an empire that didn’t care about black lives . Bit of a hypocrite

[@PatriciaJohnston-ib4qn]

Bore off.

[@orlando0121]

Perfect example of “I’m with you (Mercedes) because you are on top”. Now that you’re not “I’m leaving you”.

[@niksarg3909]

Yeah but he's leaving for a team who hasn't won a championship for years

[@JonnyMc7]

He wasn’t getting a good deal it was a 1 +1 and not an ambassador role which would have loved and should have got. Ferrari came with a longer deal and you don’t get many chances of joining Ferrari and was his dream so he wasn’t going to turn that down would have been his only chance to as he’s hitting 40 now.

[@orlando0121]

@@niksarg3909 good point. I give you that

[@courtneyswaby3178]

@@JonnyMc7 Totally agree!

[@courtneyswaby3178]

@@JonnyMc7 Awesome perspective !

[@whoisskywalker]

GOAT

[@SWIZZAUDIOVISUAL]

GOAT

[@anoopbains1257]

GOAT