This Thursday 31 December, British driver Lewis Hamilton was knighted in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.
The Formula 1 world champion sealed his seventh title at the Turkish Grand Prix last November and equalled the championships record set by the legendary German driver Michael Schumacher.
From now on, the 35-year-old will be named ‘Sir’, one of the highest honours a British man can receive. So far, he has not made any public statement about his knighthood.
Hamilton’s great achievements in his Formula 1 career have already earned him other great accolades in the past.
In 2008, after winning his first F1 world championship he was appointed as an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). He has also been elected as fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
This year 2020, the Stevenage native was appointed Sports Personality of the Year by the BBC.
In addition to all his sporting achievements, Hamilton has also shown his commitment to causes related to racial equality.
He has not only used the huge attention he has received because of his successes to advocate for the rights of black people and show his outrage at the violence and police brutality suffered by African Americans, but has also attended peaceful protests at Hyde Park.
