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I couldn't watch, admits father as Lewis Hamilton family celebrate
David Smith, Motor Racing Correspondent3 Nov 2008
If the nation's nerves were collectively shredded by Lewis Hamilton's last gasp dash to the Formula One world championship, then imagine the sheer agony suffered by his family.
"They were absolutely the worst few minutes of my life," declared his father Anthony Hamilton, 49, who could not bear to watch the closing laps of yesterday's decisive Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo.
And so it was that Anthony missed one of the greatest sporting moments in history. As his 23-year-old son overtook the German driver Timo Glock to snatch fifth place in the Grand Prix and the world championship by just one point, Anthony was pacing up and down at the Interlagos circuit, unable to look.
It was a victory that owed itself in no small part to Anthony's dedication in nurturing his son's talent a journey which has taken Hamilton from a Stevenage council estate to a racing career that could see his earnings top $1billion in his lifetime.
But Anthony was sure his son had blown it. "To be honest, I thought it was over. I thought it was gone," he said, "But I believed in God, I believed that right would come through. This is the culmination of 16 years of hard work. And I'd like to hope this is inspirational for other families and other kids.
"When we started out we had no money, we were nowhere, we were nothing. But here we are now, on top of the world, and the reality is it can be done through hard work, dedication, respect to your family, respect to all people."
Anthony, the son of immigrants who came to the UK from the Caribbean island of Grenada, at one stage held down three jobs to pay for his son's racing until Ron Dennis, head of the McLaren team, offered to sponsor the boy. He and his first wife Carmen split up when Hamilton was just two and at the age of 15 when his mother moved to London Hamilton moved in with his father, stepmother Linda and stepbrother Nicholas, now 16, who suffers from cerebral palsy.
They were all at trackside, hugging Hamilton even tighter than his margin of victory. Nicholas, who Lewis hails as his "inspiration", admitted: "Towards the end of the race I was more nervous that Lewis was. As the rain came down I was scared because I'm a big pessimist and I just wanted things to go well.
"But Lewis really deserved this. And it's only just the beginning. It's the first of many championships."
Lewis said he drew on his brother's condition as strength for his final push to the line, saying: "I often try to imagine myself in Nic's position. I do not think I would be anywhere near as strong as him. There's just so much to admire in him. So, whatever I am doing, I say to myself 'If you think it is hard to do this then think again'."
And of yesterday's performance, he added: "It was the race of my life. It's the realisation of a dream."
He was so close to seeing that dream slip from his fingers, lying in sixth place with just a corner to go.
Instead he can now expect to out-earn even David Beckham, while he already has his own pop star partner to boot. His girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of the pop group Pussycat Dolls, danced with delight in the pit lane as she declared: "This feels so good and we're so grateful. I'm so proud of Lewis. God was definitely on his side."
Lewis's triumph drew praise from Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who said: "The whole of Britain are proud of the inspirational Lewis Hamilton and the McLaren team."
Reader views (15)
Well done Lewis. For all the dirty and nasty bigots one in their eyes. Thanks for showing these uneducated a.....holes that being black is great and for Suzanne of Surrey, do you think you are on this world without god, idiot, think again.
- E Of London, London, 03/11/2008 21:01
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Holly Cow!!!
Should be Massa, but anyway..., congratulations...
- Carla, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 03/11/2008 18:09
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To Suzanne:
Think about the racist hate that was being spewed on that website, and then I suggest you think again.
- L Foraday, London, England, 03/11/2008 15:14
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Some of your readers are really sad and depressing! Lewis has just achieved an enormous feast through sheer hard work and against all the odds. We are forever screaming for role models, particularly for black African males. Well here is a big one! Lewis has shown emphatically that good and great can be achieved irrelevant of where you come from. So please let Lewis advertise whatever he wants (hundreds of non-achieving so-called celebrities do day-in-day-out), celebrate with whoever he pleases (hardly for us to coment on his relationship with his birth mother, step mother or God for that matter) and as for Glock's sector times and telemetry, who cares! For one, I am absolutely delighted for him and wish him the best for the future and, Lewis, if you make a few more millions along the way then good for you, at least you deserve them!
- Daniel, London, 03/11/2008 14:44
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Well done Lewis and much deserved!!
A great win for Lewis, Britain and motor sport and more importantly one in the eye for the biggots. A true champion for many years to come I feel.
- Brisboy, Brisbane Australia, 03/11/2008 14:10
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All in all a very exciting raceand behind Lewis' brilliant driving skills we could see all the teamwork and stategy at work.And quite a bizarre ending, with all three drivers on the podium who had done their very best so disappointed in victory, but Lewis deserved it.
- Jeremiah, London, 03/11/2008 13:55
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I hardly think God has got anything to do with it, in reality.
- Suzanne, surrey, 03/11/2008 13:44
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An amazing victory, from an impoverished background to world champion. A real idol for all thsoe knife-wielding crazed youthts out there. Parents and peers should encourage youngsters to get involved in sports and vocational activities. Well done Lewis!!!!
- N, London, 03/11/2008 13:25
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Steve - if it is so boring why did you even read the article. Get a life.
Lewis & Family - enjoy the success.
- Dannyp, Egham, 03/11/2008 13:09
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I would like to see Glock's sector times and telemetry just to convince myself of the result!
- Conspiracy Theorist, London, 03/11/2008 12:57
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Well done Hamilton. It was one of the greatest win because of the odds all against him. To start the hatred created against him. Alonso wanted to do everything to make Hamilton lose.He declared it publicly. Nobody in the track helped or at least did not obstruct.Not even his team mate helped him because he let everybody pass him without any fight.Kubica with nothing to win or loose obstructed him in end and helped Vettel pass.Gloch tried the trick which did not work because his intentions were to beat him in the final. Finally please look at the face of Alonso in the after race interview. It had written hate for not beng able to stop Hamilton.
DENIS WON AGAINST EVERYBODY. WELL DONE
A.Messina
- A.Messina, Malta, 03/11/2008 12:46
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Great stuff from Lewis! That's one in the eye for all those ******* Spaniards. In future they should show a bit of respect. Lewis is a good ambassador for Sport.
- Dhanraj, Basildon, 03/11/2008 12:44
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where is the mother of Lewis why do they have to interview the step grandparents why not the blood relations surely he has some especially his real mother
- Elizabeth Thornton, London and france, 03/11/2008 12:26
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Well done Lewis. Now if we can just see a little less of you advertising banks that would be perfect.
- Squiz, Islington, 03/11/2008 12:06
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I couldn't watch either,purely because it's a mind numbingly boring sport.
- Steve, London, 03/11/2008 11:18
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