A child with light in his eyes. A prodigious child, capable of unleashing, by driving, a talent so bright that it convinced Ron Dennis, head of McLaren, to adopt him. At 12 years old, in 1997, Lewis Hamilton already had the gold of his own destiny in his pocket. With Ayrton Senna in his head and heart, chosen like a Merlin the Magician capable of inspiring him, while above the first kart, he managed to unleash a natural predisposition, to process his own sufferings.
A shattered family, his English mother Carmen on one side, his father Anthony, originally from Grenada, on the other. Stevenage, Hertfordshire, the place. Two step-sisters on one side, an adopted disabled brother on the other. Few pounds, black skin.
Insulted, beaten, persecuted by peers. Enough to accumulate series of victories in the minor leagues, to land in F1 at 22, with McLaren of course, tough enough to put a racing animal like Fernando Alonso in crisis, coming off two world championships. First crown, snatched in the last, dirty, humid, questionable meters in São Paulo, against Felipe Massa, the perfect intuition, dated 2013: enough of McLaren’s struggles, better to bet on the growing Mercedes. The balance is known, it is epic, 6 titles in seven years, between 2014 and 2020.
Son of art, wealthy, blond, fast. A dualism not only sportive. Governed with a thread of arrogance in 2016 when Nico became champion and retired immediately, there, certain of never being able to do it again. Meanwhile, Lewis, a string of records, surpassing his idol Ayrton, tying Schumi, the eighth title snatched by Verstappen in a thrilling 2021 finale that Hamilton will never digest.
Max? Respect, of course, little else. An opponent to be countered with the certainty of having conquered a broader leadership, every spotlight. Of Sir Hamilton, a title conferred in 2021, we all know everything only superficially.
A man as curious as reserved. Cunning, seductive, attentive to the signals of the audience. An athlete of integrity, highly disciplined. Capable of putting a young up-and-comer like George Russell in crisis, welcomed at Mercedes without a hitch.
Lewis is trained for battle, with the experience to understand when and how to act. A formidable strategist, without a wrinkle, without an ounce of shyness. *Corriere della Sera is also on Whatsapp. Simply click here to subscribe to the channel and stay updated.
* February 2, 2024 (updated on February 2, 2024 | 10:06) © All rights reserved.