Lewis Hamilton is not only one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time but also a huge inspiration for many young aspiring racers. While most people know about Hamilton’s staggering achievements on the track, not many know from who the 38-year-old took inspiration during his younger days.
The Briton described in his book, Lewis Hamilton: My Story, how legendary American heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali was a huge inspiration for him. The Mercedes driver stated that his sheer courage was what he loved most about Ali.
‘He’s my favorite’: Lewis Hamilton on Muhammad Ali
In his book (published in 2007), Lewis Hamilton explained how he was never into ‘hero worship’, but if there was one individual that was an exception to this list was Muhammad Ali. Speaking of the legendary American boxer, the 38-year-old wrote, “When I see him on TV, I think, ‘Whoah, this dude…’ He is my favorite sportsperson ever.”
He then elaborated on the quality he found most inspiring about Ali by adding, “No one had the balls he had,” He found this kind of courage in Ali inspirational and stated that the legendary boxer’s personality mattered much more to him than ‘money ever could’.
View this post on Instagram
Hamilton’s 2023 season kickstarts in decent fashion
After two fifth-place finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Lewis Hamilton claimed an outstanding second-place finish in his last race in Australia. He finished just behind race winner Max Verstappen and crucially ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton is currently placed fourth in the championship with 38 points. He is now just seven points behind third-placed Alonso and a further nine points behind second-placed Sergio Perez.
However, it is the gap to championship leader Verstappen that is astounding. The Dutchman has claimed 69 points out of a maximum of 78 and already has a staggering 31-point lead over fourth-placed Hamilton.
A similar scenario is also seen in the Constructors’ Championship, as Red Bull Racing is way ahead. The Milton Keynes outfit has so far scored 123 points and is already 58 points clear of second-placed Aston Martin.
Meanwhile, Mercedes are a staggering 67 points behind their arch-rivals. Considering how the season has panned out so far, it seems that the Silver Arrows are likely to battle Aston Martin for second place in the Constructors’ Championship, as Red Bull seems too far ahead.
