Lewis Hamilton has not long seen the end of a year that was pretty unforgettable to say the least; his record breaking 92nd pole position in a Formula 1 Grand Prix tournament, a joint record seventh F1 World Championship title, and of course, just last month he walked away with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
But if you’re after the confirmation that the success is set to continue, he now enters 2021 by Royal Appointment, as he has been given a Knighthood in the Queen’s New Year Honours list. In doing so, he now joins an elite few from the world of motorsport who have been given this most esteemed of titles from Her Majesty.
Many Formula 1 alumni past and present have been awarded MBEs, OBEs and CBEs, amongst them, 1964 World Champion John Surtees, Lotus founder Colin Chapman, former F1 champion Damon Hill and team boss turned commentator Eddie Jordan. Hamilton himself was previously made an MBE in 2009.
But until recently, just three other motor racing greats had been previously honoured with Knighthoods. Now, the soon to be Sir Lewis will join a roll call of drivers that includes the late great Sir Jack Brabham and Sir Stirling Moss, as well as Sir Jackie Stewart, three times Formula 1 World Championship victor in 1969, 1971 and 1973, who was the most recent to receive his Knighthood twenty years ago in 2001.
F1 team founders and directors Sir Frank Williams and Sir Patrick Head have also been knighted in 1999 and 2015, but Lewis’ addition to Royal Honours undoubtedly caps off what continues to be a chapter of his career that has far from reached its peak. Congratulations Sir Lewis from all of us at TrackDays!
