© LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd
Lewis Hamilton won the 2020 World Sportsman of the Year Laureus award at tonight’s ceremony in Berlin, but he shares it with Lionel Messi!
The Laureus awards are presented each year, honouring individuals and teams from the world of sports.
Hamilton was nominated along with MotoGP’s Marc Marquez, footballer Lionel Messi, golfer Tiger Woods, tennis player Rafael Nadal and long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge. For the first time ever the World Sportsman of the Year award was won by two people simultaneously, Messi and Hamilton.
This was Hamilton’s sixth nomination, but it’s the first time the Briton won. The last motorsport personality to do the award was Sebastian Vettel back in 2014, after he won his fourth consecutive Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
Mercedes has also been nominated for Team of the Year alongside Liverpool FC, NBA’s Toronto Raptors, South Africa’s rugby team, Spain’s basketball team and the United States’ women’s football team, but lost out to South Africa’s rugby team. Mercedes previously won the award in 2018, after winning four consecutive F1 Constructors’ Championships.
You can watch Hamilton’s acceptance speech below.
"Wow, this is such an incredible honour!"
Six-time world champion @LewisHamilton wins the prestigious @LaureusSport World Sportsman of the Year award, jointly with Lionel Messipic.twitter.com/QlaxhkdCI0
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 17, 2020
Congratulations Lewis, you absolutely deserve it!
