Given his life full of iconic moments, asking Lewis Hamilton to pick just one highlight would be difficult for the Briton. As the most successful F1 driver and one of the world’s most popular personalities, Hamilton has had countless opportunities to do many different things and meet a variety of people. However, one moment stands out.
In a conversation with Rose, an ambassador for RIMOWA—a luxury luggage manufacturer—Hamilton revealed that meeting Nelson Mandela was one of the “most amazing” moments of his life.
“His story of like, you know, the activism and going into prison for 26 years and then coming out and just the grace and humility he had. He did so much for kids and me he was just, he’s just like the God,” the seven-time World Champion said.
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Hamilton met Mandela—who became famous for his anti-apartheid activism—in 2008 when he attended the former South African President’s 90th birthday party in London. It was an event Hamilton described as very special, helping him meet several influential figures such as Bill Clinton, Denzel Washington, and Oprah Winfrey.
Mandela showed immense resilience, strength, and compassion throughout his life, and his preaching of ‘non-violence’ in the fight against discrimination won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. The values Mandela possessed are ones Hamilton holds very close to his heart even today.
What Mandela taught Hamilton
During an appearance on the On Purpose podcast, Hamilton revealed that Mandela taught him a valuable lesson at his 90th birthday party.
“He was like, ‘I’m 90, I’m still learning today and it’s okay to be learning'”, Hamilton recalled. “You’re always going to be learning something new and growing yourself.”
The then-one-time World Champion was so overwhelmed by being in the same room as Mandela that he thought he walked in to meet ‘God’. “His aura was something, you could see his aura, his smile. He was beaming.”
