My role model – Lewis Hamilton Article

My role model – Lewis Hamilton

British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton is my role model and inspiration as he has proved that if you work hard enough and follow your goal that sometimes dreams really do come true!

My name is Louis Dickson and I’m a young person from Sandwell. I have been writing for Voice 21 for over a year, and when I was asked to write about my hero there was only one person who entered my mind... and that was the iconic Lewis Hamilton. Lewis has achieved something that he wanted to do ever since he was a kid, and that is to be a Formula One driver. He has taught me that you can achieve anything if you truly put your mind to it, you are dedicated and you have the help and support around you. In 2007, Lewis Hamilton became the first ever black mixed-race driver in Formula One and has taken the world of motorsport by storm. Even if you are not a sports fan you have to admire what he has achieved in such a short time, and I believe that he will go on to be a global icon and legend. Hamilton’s first taste of racing competition came at the age of five at the controls of radio-controlled cars. He even appeared on children’s programme Blue Peter and since then the BBC have followed his career with interest. At the age of eight he started Go-Karting and quickly began winning races. From then his dream was to be an F1 driver and when he was ten he approached McLaren F1 boss Ron Dennis for an autograph and told him “Hi, I’m Lewis Hamilton and one day I want to be racing your cars.” Ron Dennis wrote in his book “Phone me in nine years.” Ron actually called him a few years later after Lewis started winning Karting championships, and made Hamilton the youngest ever driver to secure a contract. Following this, Lewis had success in F3 and GP2, winning the championship at his first attempt. In 2007, at the age of 22, his dream finally came true as Lewis became an F1 driver. He made an explosive start to his F1 career as he finished on the podium in his first nine races, and became the first ever black driver to win a major race at the Canadian GP. He had a fierce rivally with his team mate and then the current world champion Fernando Alonso. Hamilton originally joined the team as the number two driver and wasn’t expected to do that well in his first year, but Hamilton outclassed Alonso in many races and lead the championship for much of the year, eventually missing out on the title by one point to Ferrari driver Kimi Raikonen. Lewis came so close to winning the World Championship in his first year, something that has still never been achieved. He has brought a new audience to motorsport and we have a new British sports star to be proud of. Earlier this year Lewis was racially abused by spectators during pre-season testing in Spain, where he became unpopular due to his rivalry with Spanish former team-mate Fernando Alonso. In reaction to this behaviour, the FIA launched a “Race against Racism” campaign at April’s Spanish Grand Prix. The FIA hope this new initiative will unite all those involved in motorsport, both on and off the track, in the fight against racism.
Hamilton has faced many ups and downs and has coped with whatever life has thrown at him. He didn’t give up when things got tough, instead he worked even harder to achieve his dream, and this is why Lewis Hamilton is my role model and a person I think will inspire a generation. I want to achieve my dreams in the future and I know that if I work hard, keep faith and have the support of my friends and family, that I can fulfil my ambitions.

 By Louis Dickson / Young D Soulja / Young D