Even though there are multiple superhero characters in the reel world, Chadwick Boseman was the real deal for Lewis Hamilton. So much so that Black Panther, the character played by Boseman, became a long-standing inspiration for the Mercedes driver, something he was missing from his childhood.
Talking about this, Hamilton said during Fortnite’s recent collaboration with him as per Jake Lucky on X, “Super Man was an all-time favorite, but he didn’t look like me. As a kid, I didn’t realize that I could be a superhero. It wasn’t until Black Panther.”
Lewis Hamilton paid homage to the late Chadwick Boseman, saying he was an inspiration when putting himself in Fortnite
“Super Man was an all-time favorite, but he didn’t look like me, as a kid I didn’t realize that I could be a Super Hero, it wasn’t until Black Panther” pic.twitter.com/UUeT3NsSbP
— Jake Lucky (@JakeSucky) November 17, 2023
Admittedly, Black Panther brought a huge cultural shift in Hollywood as it was one of the rare black superhero characters. Therefore, the introduction of Black Panther by Marvel has been an instrumental one for Hamilton, who always regarded himself as a big fan of Boseman and the character he played.
Hence, Boseman’s untimely demise left a big hole in the seven-time world champion’s heart.
Chadwick Boseman’s death affected Lewis Hamilton severely
Chadwick Boseman passed away on August 28, 2020, at the end of 43 after a four-year battle with Colon cancer. This was truly shocking for the world to digest. However, it was Lewis Hamilton who was deeply affected by this news.
The effect of Black Panther’s death affected Hamilton so much that it almost broke him. Speaking about this in a report published by Sky Sports, he said, “I woke up to the news of Chadwick Boseman passing away and that news really, really broke me.”
I want to dedicate this pole to Chadwick. What he accomplished and the legacy he left is so incredible to me. He’s inspired a whole generation of young black men and women and provided them with a true superhero to look up to. Rest in power my friend.#WakandaForever #blackpanther pic.twitter.com/M7EgGess9p
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) August 29, 2020
Notably, the 38-year-old driver made the day an important one to remember. He dedicated the 2020 Belgian GP pole, which was his 93rd one, in Boseman’s name. Along with this, he also gave a tribute to Boseman on X, formerly Twitter, with the Wakanda Forever symbol.
Hamilton hopes to be a role model for other aspiring black drivers, similar to how Boseman was for him. The Briton for long has advocated how he wants to see more diversity in motorsports, especially F1.
