© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Fellow Brits Damon Hill and Martin Brundle give their first comments on Lewis Hamilton being awarded knighthood by the Queen!
Hamilton is the only Formula 1 driver to receive this incredible honour while still active. Former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle says “the time surely feels absolutely right” for Lewis to be knighted.
“Congratulations to him, and very well deserved,” Brundle said to Sky Sports News.
“Seven world titles he has in his pocket now equalling the great Michael Schumacher. He tops the tables in Formula 1 for most victories at 95, most pole positions at 98, most podiums at 165.
“He’s 36 years old on January 7. Most of the young guns aiming to knock him off the pedestal are 10-15 years younger than him and he still turns up with his A game; full of energy, pushing like crazy.
“If anybody in sporting terms deserves this recognition then surely it’s Sir Lewis Hamilton.
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
Brundle also noted how well Hamilton represents Britain.
“When we see Lewis up on the podium and we hear the national anthem, and we see him with the Union Flag and being crowd-surfed at Silverstone, this all sums it up in terms of underlining what he has achieved in representing Great Britain and Formula 1.”
1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill feels the honour is “terrific and well earned”, while he praises the seven-time champion’s activism and work outside of Formula 1.
“He is standing up for issues that are close to his heart and affect everyone, and in our sport it’s very rare for a driver to get involved in anything that’s outside of Formula 1,” Hill told Sky Sports.
“Lewis has said ‘this affects me, this affects every black person’. He’s stood up at a time when it could have destabilised his career, could have destabilised his concentration on the championship.
“So he took a huge gamble to do that, and that’s courage and that’s standing up for what you believe is right,” concluded Hill.
