Lewis Hamilton Once Recalled Traumatic Memories of Karting That He Got to See When He Was Only 9

Lewis Hamilton, one of F1’s greatest drivers of all time, doesn’t take safety lightly. Even though Hamilton has never been in a major crash himself throughout his career, he has seen people around him affected, and in some cases lose their lives. After Jules Bianchi’s fatal crash in 2014, some painful memories flooded Hamilton’s head.

Hamilton recalled how, when he was just nine years old, he lost a friend in karting to a freak accident. Daniel Spence was just “joking and laughing” with Hamilton trackside before a race, where a kart landed on top of him, taking his life.

“The next thing I knew I was at his funeral”, said Hamilton as per The Independent. “It was the first time I had ever been to one.”  

Bianchi was initially in critical condition following his collision with a crane trackside, in Suzuka 2014. He was taken to the hospital, where despite the doctors’ best efforts, the Frenchman passed away a few months later. Following what happened that afternoon, however, Hamilton couldn’t keep the incident involving his childhood karting partner Spence, out of his mind.

Although he doesn’t show it, the seven-time World Champion admitted that he doesn’t take safety for granted when he is suiting up for an F1 race.

Lewis Hamilton “fully aware” of the dangers of being in F1

Over the years, safety has become the topmost priority for teams and officials, not just in F1 but in all forms of motorsports, starting from karting. But, there is no guarantee in this field, and it is something Hamilton understands.

The number of fatal crashes has gone down since the 1950s and 1960s, but the probability of the same is still not zero.

“There’s not a second when I am in the car, I am fully aware of the dangers that are ahead of me,” says Hamilton. “You go in accepting whatever dangers lie ahead.”

Bianchi’s death created changes within FIA’s safety guidelines, just like Ayrton Senna’s death in Imola did back in 1994. To date, the former remains F1’s last fatal incident and all the people associated with the sport will be hoping that remains so.