Biography [2]

Lewis Hamilton Statistics:
Nationality : British
Date of Birth : 07/01/85
Place of Birth : Tewin, UK
Marital Status : Single
Height : 1.74m
Weight : 64kg
Resident : Tewin, UK
Favourite Music : 2Pac, 50 Cent
Hobbies : Playing the guitar, music, football, training

After winning several karting championships, Hamilton was signed by McLaren's Young Driver Programme on a development contract in 1992 when he was 12. As a result, he has been well-funded throughout his burgeoning career. He has also raced in British Formula Renault in his career, and was European kart champion in 2000.

In 2005 he won the Formula Three Euroseries racing for the dominant ASM team, having raced in the category in 2004 for Manor Motorsport using the superior Mercedes engine.
In 2006, he joined ART Grand Prix team in the GP2 Series as a replacement for the previous year's champion Nico Rosberg. His performance in the GP2 Series has been impressive. At the European GP2 event he won both races, becoming only the second driver (after Nico Rosberg) to do so in the series history and won at Monaco from pole. At the moment he leads the championship, outperforming his more experienced team mate Alexandre Premat.
He has frequently been tipped to be the first black driver in Formula 1, but McLaren boss Ron Dennis has said that he has turned down possible advertising campaigns focusing on Lewis' ethnicity.

COMPETITION HISTORY
2007 Formula 1, Mc Laren's driver
2006 GP2 Series, ART Grand Prix.
2005 F3 Euroseries. Champion; ASM F3, Dallara-Mercedes.
2004 F3 Euroseries. 1st and 3rd at Norisring, 3rd at Nurburgring, Winner Bahrain F3 Superprix.
2003 British Formula Renault Champion; Manor Motorsport.
2002 British Formula Renault; Manor Motorsport; third overall; three victories; three fastest laps; three pole positions. Formula Renault EuroCup Championship; competed in four out of nine rounds; fifth overall; one victory; three podium positions.
2001 British Formula Renault Winter Series; fifth overall.
2000 Formula A; European Champion; Winner of all four rounds; World Cup Champion; World Number One. Winner of Masters at Bercy. BRDC ‘Rising Star’ Member. Winner at the Second round of the Italian Open.
1999 Intercontinental A & Junior Intercontinental A; Italian "Industrials" Champion – ICA; Vice European Champion – JICA; Trophy de Pomposa winner – JICA; 4th Italian Open Championship - JICA.
1998 Junior Intercontinental A; Second in McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future; Fourth at the Italian Open Championship. It is announced that Lewis will be supported by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz
1997 Junior Yamaha; Champions of the Future series Champion; Super One series Champion
1996 Cadet Class; Champions of the Future series Champion; Sky TV KartMasters Champion; Five Nations Champion.
1995 Cadet Class; British Champion; STP Champion.
Read Biography [1]

Biography [1]

Lewis Hamilton, born January 7, 1985, in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England, has had his eye on Formula 1 for a very long time. At the young age of 10, Hamilton met the owner and director of the McLaren Formula 1 team, Ron Dennis, at an Autosports Awards ceremony. Hamilton bravely told Dennis that he wanted to drive for McLaren in the future. The impromptu interview went well and Dennis later signed Hamilton up for McLaren’s driver development support program, which meant a possible seat with McLaren’s Formula 1 racing team in the future.

After beginning with a successful karting career, Hamilton began tearing up the car racing scene on the junior formula circuit in 2002. That year, he finished third in the Formula Renault series and placed first a year later. It took Hamilton two brief years to master the next level of racing, the Formula 3 Euro Series, where he won 15 of the 20 races in 2005.

Hamilton continued to build on previous years and 2006 was no exception. He captured another championship, this time in the GP2 Series. Soon after, a Formula 1 opportunity came knocking when McLaren drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen left the team to chase other ventures.

Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso already occupied one McLaren seat and speculation mounted as to who would ride along with him. In the end, McLaren passed on more experienced drivers to give Hamilton the opportunity to prove himself in the world of Grand Prix racing.

In his rookie season alone, Hamilton has become the youngest driver ever to lead the Drivers Championship, surpassing the record of the venerated Bruce McLaren -- the namesake of team McLaren.

To the shock and awe of Formula fans and fellow drivers alike, Hamilton placed first in both the Canadian and American Grand Prix's, making him a viable contender as winner of the 2007 Formula 1 race season.

Obviously, McLaren’s decision to go with the younger, inexperienced Hamilton is no longer second-guessed, and is even being celebrated. Hamilton is also the first black driver ever to compete in Formula 1. With a career full of firsts, Hamilton is definitely the driver to keep your eye on.
Read Biography [2]