Life for a 13-year-old Lewis Hamilton must’ve been a rollercoaster of emotions. The Briton had just signed up for the McLaren young driver’s program and was on his way to race all over the world on his path to F1. However, it also meant that he was missing out on an essential part of his growing up – school. This prompted the then McLaren boss, Ron Dennis to arrange for a private tutor for the now seven-time world champion so that he would not miss out on his academics.
The importance of Hamilton having a solid foundation in terms of his education was something that both Dennis and his father, Anthony Hamilton saw eye-to-eye on. Anthony always ensured his son got his academics right during his karting days, and Dennis continued the trend as Hamilton ventured into the world of Formula racing.
ON THIS DAY IN 1998 – McLaren announced the signing of a 13-year-old karter Lewis Hamilton. Ron Dennis said Hamilton had the ability to go all the way to the top and made him a member of the team’s prestigious driver support programme. #F1 pic.twitter.com/aU0D555shJ
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) April 3, 2023
Author Frank Worrall wrote in Hamilton’s biography,
“He was 13, still at John Henry Newman, and now he was the youngest driver ever to be contracted to a Formula One team. His father and Big Ron agreed that as he was spending such a large amount of time testing and racing, McLaren should pay for a private tutor to supplement his education. Both were keen for him not to fall behind with his schoolwork.”
Alongside his school work, Hamilton proved to be a trailblazer on the track. Donning the McLaren name, the Briton won several junior championships in 1998, and in 1999 he won the Italian ‘Industrials’ champion at Intercontinental A level, and also picked up the Trophy de Pomposa. Eventually, in 2007, he made his F1 debut for the team, however, his story with McLaren had started many years back during an awards show.
The day Lewis Hamilton made himself known to Ron Dennis
In 1995, a 10-year-old Lewis Hamilton had just won the British Karting Championship. That’s when he got the opportunity to attend an awards show that was graced by some of the biggest names in motorsport, including Ron Dennis.
Somehow, Hamilton rallied up the courage to go up to him to introduce himself and get his autograph. Hamilton later revealed as telling Dennis, “Hi, I’m Lewis Hamilton, and I’ve just won the British Karting Championship, and one day I want to be Formula 1 World Champion in your car.”
The story of how a young karting champion wrote his own destiny ✍️@LewisHamilton tells the tale of how he approached then-McLaren boss Ron Dennis about one day driving for the team!#F1 pic.twitter.com/SJf3fpzlrb
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 9, 2021
Naturally taken aback from this young boy who had virtually just asked him for an F1 drive, Dennis was more than forthcoming with his time, according to Hamilton himself. According to the Briton, Dennis did give him an autograph and asked him to call him in 9 years.
It didn’t take that long. Merely 3 years later, McLaren signed Hamilton up. And the rest as they say, is history.
