Just like many of his fellow F1 drivers, Lewis Hamilton started karting at an early age. He got his first taste of the track action at five and has since then never looked back. Not even for the milestones as he does not recall his first podium or race win. What he remembers is an important braking technique that has stayed with him to this day.
Shortly before the Las Vegas GP, Hamilton appeared for an interview with Access Hollywood. When asked if he remembered his first podium, he answered, “Honestly, I don’t remember the first podium that I had or the first win I had. I remember the first time I drove a go-kart and I was five. And I remember, there’s like three corners, and by the second lap I picked up this braking technique that I used through my whole karting career and it’s a part of the driving that I do today.”
For a five-year-old, who took to karting for the first time in his life, to develop a technique that led him to win a record-equaling 7 world championships is a mind-boggling feat. The Mercedes ace realizes that as he recalls it was the moment he knew that he was meant to be a race car driver.
Hamilton may have started karting as a five-year-old but he first enrolled in the British Cadet Karting Championship when he was 8. In that year itself, he started to win races and started to create a buzz. Just 2 years later, he became the youngest Cadet Karting Championship and met his future McLaren boss, Ron Dennis.
Lewis Hamilton on the most precious gift he received and meeting Ron Dennis
Earlier this year in February, Hamilton penned a heartfelt Instagram post. He wrote about his first go-kart, which he got as a gift from his parents. Such was the excitement for his gift that he saw it before he was supposed to but had to hide his excitement.
When he actually opened up the wrapping paper, he deliberately acted surprised in front of his parents. To avoid getting caught, he even walked in with his back to his gift before unwrapping it.
Through the post, Hamilton revealed that he was hungry to win when he first took that kart out on the track. Now, he was even hungrier.
When he became the youngest Cadet Karting Champion, Hamilton met Ron Dennis for the first time at the Autosport Awards. While asking for an autograph, the 12-year-old introduced himself as the British Champion who one day wanted to drive his race cars. In his scrapbook, Dennis told Hamilton to call him in nine years.
The young Briton became the British Champion, and the Super One series much earlier than nine years and caught Dennis’ attention. As fate would have it, it was Ron who called Hamilton, offering him a role in the McLaren driver development program. The contract also included an option for a Formula 1 seat in the future. The rest, as they say, is history.
