Ever since birth, Lewis Hamilton has been a citizen of the UK. His citizenship took another level when he got knighted by the Prince of Wales, now King Charles. This is one of the highest honors a citizen of the UK can receive. He is only the 5th Formula 1 driver to be knighted.
Lewis Hamilton has achieved a lot during his time in F1. However, one of his greatest achievements was winning 7 championships after the 2020 season. As a result, Lewis Hamilton was knighted on 15th December.
The knighthood came at a dull time for Lewis Hamilton. He had just come from losing the 2021 Championship to Max Verstappen. After the loss, Lewis Hamilton had a tough time recovering. However, he did show up in the UK a few weeks later to receive his knighthood.
Lewis Hamilton had the honor of being knighted by the now King Charles because he equaled Michael Schumacher in most Championships won. For the last 15 years, Lewis Hamilton has performed at another level. However, since his knighthood, the 7-time Champion underwent a draught. He was not able to win a race for the entire 2022 season. That was the first season without a race win for Lewis Hamilton.
Sir Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle.
Image ID: 2HATNCR // Dominic Lipinski // PA Wire#alamyeditoril #LewisHamilton pic.twitter.com/RxLOhro1pM
— Alamy Editorial (@Alamy_Editorial) December 15, 2021
Despite this setback, Lewis continues to push along with his team to find more success in Formula 1. He has a contract to drive in the sport until the 2025 season. If he wishes to drive with Mercedes post his contract, Mercedes should not have a problem with that.
The British Knight has helped Mercedes accomplish a lot and break various records. They have had some of the best years of their life in these past 10 years. Both Hamilton and the team keep each other motivated to find more success.
Is Lewis Hamilton a citizen of Brazil as well?
After Lewis Hamilton’s sophomore season, the Brazilian fans hated him. This was because he had just won the 2008 Championship on the last lap by beating Felipe Massa in points. Since Massa is a Brazilian, fans were not very happy. However, over the years, the 7-time champion has won the hearts of Brazilians. He is now adored by all fans in Brazil.
Ever since the beginning, Lewis has idolized Ayrton Senna who is very popular in Brazil. He has always been very open about his high regard for the late Brazilian driver. This brought him closer to the Brazilian fans. Over time, he became the most loved F1 driver in Brazil.
“I saw Ayrton race for the first time, and that was the moment I knew that I wanted to be a world champion, just like him”
Lewis Hamilton dedicates his honorary Brazilian citizenship to racing hero Senna#BrazilGP #F1 https://t.co/YNSMBeYwOl
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 8, 2022
On November 7th, 2022, Lewis Hamilton became an honorary citizen of Brazil. He was given this honor in front of hundreds of fans who were cheering for him. This has increased the marketability of Hamilton as well.
As it stands, Hamilton is easily the most marketable aF1 driver. The only other drivers that come close are Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso. This has given him a lot of value and has helped him build his net worth of around $270 million. For the next few years, Lewis will continue to build his brand and add to his net worth.
Do you think Lewis Hamilton will be the first F1 driver to become a billionaire? Post your answers in the comment section below.