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Lewis Hamilton (Bryn Lennon / Getty Images)
Mercedes Chief Toto Wolff says the UK should be proud to have a “champion and ambassador of the caliber of Sir Lewis Hamilton“after the Formula One driver was awarded the knighthood.
Hamilton has been recognized on the New Years honors list after a record year in which he eclipsed Michael Schumacher’s all-time winning tally and emulated the German by winning a seventh world title.
The 35-year-old, who was also voted Sports Personality of the Year by the BBC earlier this month, is the fourth F1 driver to receive the award, following in the footsteps of Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jackie Stewart, and the first to receive the honor while still competing.
The 48-year-old Austrian Wolff has overseen Hamilton’s success at Mercedes following the Briton’s departure from McLaren in 2013. Hamilton has won six of his seven titles with the team that conquers the entire sport.
“Lewis is one of the greatest racing drivers of all time and the most successful British sportsman of his time,” said Wolff.
“Around the world, he has long been recognized for his athletic achievement, and this year, he combined his excellence on the track with a powerful voice to combat discrimination. In every way, he led the way in 2020.
“The news that he will receive the knighthood shows that he is now receiving the recognition he has earned during an unprecedentedly successful career in motorsports.”
“The UK can be very proud to have a champion and ambassador of the caliber of Sir Lewis Hamilton.”
Hamilton has not resided permanently in the UK since 2007, and his knighthood was placed on the Diplomatic and Overseas List.
Hamilton moved to Switzerland for a year before settling in Monaco.
Motorsport UK Chairman David Richards sent a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in November explaining that Hamilton “is subject to withholding tax in nine countries” and “files tax returns in four of the nine countries”.
The HMRC UK Income Tax Liability Statistics, released in 2019, places Hamilton among the 5000 highest taxpayers in the UK.
Former Labor Minister Lord Hain, who serves as Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for F1, wrote twice to Downing Street calling for Hamilton to be honored with the knighthood.
He told the PA news agency on Thursday: “This is fantastic and well-deserved news. This is a tribute both to the greatest Formula One driver in history and to his fearless commitment to standing up for diversity and against racism.”
Hamilton secured his record title in the context of his personal struggle against injustice.
Hamilton got down on his knees before the 16 rounds he played and persuaded Mercedes to change her livery from silver to black to send a message in the battle against racism.
Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, told Sky News: “Lewis has championed the issues that are close to his heart and affect everyone.
“In our sport it is very rare for a driver to get involved in something outside of Formula One. But Lewis has said that this affects all black people and he stood up at a time when it could have destabilized his career and destabilized his concentration in the championship.
“You risked a lot to do that and that is bravery and standing up for what you think is right.”
– TEAMtalk Media
