Driver of the month - Lewis Hamilton
Long-term McLaren and Mercedes-Benz protégé Lewis Hamilton was confirmed as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes racing driver at the start of the season and made his debut at the opening race of the 2007 Formula One World Championship in Australia. Lewis, 21,...
Long-term McLaren and Mercedes-Benz protégé Lewis Hamilton was confirmed as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes racing driver at the start of the season and made his debut at the opening race of the 2007 Formula One World Championship in Australia. Lewis, 21, joined world champion Fernando Alonso racing the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-22, with both Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett continuing as test drivers.
The 2006 GP2 champion, who also dominated the 2005 F3 Euro Series in a Dallara Mercedes, winning 15 out of 20 races, kicked off his season by testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona.
"It's a dream come true," Lewis said. "To be racing in Formula 1 with McLaren has been the ultimate goal for me since I was very young and this opportunity is a fantastic way to end what has been the best year for me. I have grown up with McLaren and Mercedes and wouldn't be where I am today without their continued support and guidance.
"However I'm aware that this will be a challenge and I know that there will be a lot of attention on me. However, the team has told me just to relax, do the best I can and enjoy the opportunity. I will work hard to get good results."
"Since 1998 Lewis has formed an important part of our long-term strategy and we are pleased that we are able to help him take another step and achieve his dream of becoming a Formula One racing driver," Ron Dennis, chairman and CEO, McLaren Group, said.
"Pedro has done an outstanding job for us this season but we felt it was the right time to provide Lewis with this opportunity. It's obviously going to be the biggest challenge of Lewis's career so far but it's one that we are sure he will be able to meet.
"He is coming into the paddock for the first time as a Formula 1 racing driver and will have to familiarise himself with the pressures of a Grand Prix weekend. However the confidence we have in Lewis's abilities and talent is clear from our decision to give him the chance."
Lewis has been involved with the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz Young Driver Support Programme since its inception in 1998. He moved through the ranks of karting, winning various championships, including the McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future karting series in 1998.
He dominated the 2003 British Formula Renault Championship, winning 10 of the championship's 15 races. In 2004 Lewis competed in the prominent Formula 3 Euro series with Manor Motorsport, powered by Mercedes-Benz engines. In 2005, he dominated the F3 Euro Series Championship, in a car powered by Mercedes-Benz.
On September 8, 2006, Lewis won the GP2 Series Championship with the ART team at Monza in Italy, winning five of 22 rounds, and on September 13, Lewis tested the Team McLaren Mercedes Formula One car for the first time at the Silverstone circuit in the UK. The rest, as they say, is history.
Car: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Car: 2
Nationality: British
Date of Birth: 07/01/85
Place of Birth: Stevenage , UK
Height: 1.74 m
Weight: 68 kg
Resident: UK
Favourite music: R & B, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and funky house
Hobbies: Playing the guitar, music, training
Website: www.lewishamilton.com
Formula 1 Statistics
Grand Prix debut 2007 Australian GP
Grand Prix starts 6 (Canada GP)
Grand Prix points 48
Grand Prix wins 1
Pole positions 13
Competition history
2006 GP2 Series: champion with ART Grand Prix; five wins; six fastest laps; first double win at the Nürburgring; pole position and winner of Monaco GP2 race; second double win at Silverstone in home race; seven 2nd place and two third place podiums.
2005 F3 Euroseries: Champion with ASM F3 Dallara-Mercedes; 15 wins; 10 fastest laps; 13 pole positions; secured championship with four races remaining; winner of F3 Masters at Zandvoort including pole position and lap record; winner of the Monaco F3 Grand Prix including two pole positions and two race wins and one fastest lap; winner of Pau F3 Grand Prix in France; two pole positions, two race wins and two fastest laps.
2004 F3 Euroseries: fifth; one win and third place at the Norisring and the Nürburgring; winner of Bahrain F3 Superprix.
2003 British Formula Renault: Champion; 10 wins; nine fastest laps and 11 pole positions; champion before final two rounds.
2002 British Formula Renault: third; three wins; three fastest laps; three pole positions; Formula Renault EuroCup championship fifth; one win three podiums; competed in four out of nine rounds.
2001 British Formula Renault Winter Series; fifth overall.
2000 Formula A: European Champion; winner of all four rounds; World Cup champion; awarded Karting World Number 1; winner of Masters at Bercy; founder member of BRDC 'Rising Star' membership
1999 Intercontinental A (ICA): Italian 'Industrials' champion, Junior ICA (JICA): vice-European champion; winner Trophy de Pomposa, 4th Italian Open championship.
1998 Junior ICA (JICA): second in McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series; fourth in Italian Open championship; signed by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz to Young Driver Support Programme.
1997 Junior Yamaha: Super One British Champion; winner of McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series.
1996 Cadet Class: winner of McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series; Sky TV Kart Masters Champion; Five Nations Champion
1995 Cadet Class: Super One British champion; STP champion.
The 2006 GP2 champion, who also dominated the 2005 F3 Euro Series in a Dallara Mercedes, winning 15 out of 20 races, kicked off his season by testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona.
"It's a dream come true," Lewis said. "To be racing in Formula 1 with McLaren has been the ultimate goal for me since I was very young and this opportunity is a fantastic way to end what has been the best year for me. I have grown up with McLaren and Mercedes and wouldn't be where I am today without their continued support and guidance.
"However I'm aware that this will be a challenge and I know that there will be a lot of attention on me. However, the team has told me just to relax, do the best I can and enjoy the opportunity. I will work hard to get good results."
"Since 1998 Lewis has formed an important part of our long-term strategy and we are pleased that we are able to help him take another step and achieve his dream of becoming a Formula One racing driver," Ron Dennis, chairman and CEO, McLaren Group, said.
"Pedro has done an outstanding job for us this season but we felt it was the right time to provide Lewis with this opportunity. It's obviously going to be the biggest challenge of Lewis's career so far but it's one that we are sure he will be able to meet.
"He is coming into the paddock for the first time as a Formula 1 racing driver and will have to familiarise himself with the pressures of a Grand Prix weekend. However the confidence we have in Lewis's abilities and talent is clear from our decision to give him the chance."
Lewis has been involved with the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz Young Driver Support Programme since its inception in 1998. He moved through the ranks of karting, winning various championships, including the McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future karting series in 1998.
He dominated the 2003 British Formula Renault Championship, winning 10 of the championship's 15 races. In 2004 Lewis competed in the prominent Formula 3 Euro series with Manor Motorsport, powered by Mercedes-Benz engines. In 2005, he dominated the F3 Euro Series Championship, in a car powered by Mercedes-Benz.
On September 8, 2006, Lewis won the GP2 Series Championship with the ART team at Monza in Italy, winning five of 22 rounds, and on September 13, Lewis tested the Team McLaren Mercedes Formula One car for the first time at the Silverstone circuit in the UK. The rest, as they say, is history.
Car: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Car: 2
Nationality: British
Date of Birth: 07/01/85
Place of Birth: Stevenage , UK
Height: 1.74 m
Weight: 68 kg
Resident: UK
Favourite music: R & B, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and funky house
Hobbies: Playing the guitar, music, training
Website: www.lewishamilton.com
Formula 1 Statistics
Grand Prix debut 2007 Australian GP
Grand Prix starts 6 (Canada GP)
Grand Prix points 48
Grand Prix wins 1
Pole positions 13
Competition history
2006 GP2 Series: champion with ART Grand Prix; five wins; six fastest laps; first double win at the Nürburgring; pole position and winner of Monaco GP2 race; second double win at Silverstone in home race; seven 2nd place and two third place podiums.
2005 F3 Euroseries: Champion with ASM F3 Dallara-Mercedes; 15 wins; 10 fastest laps; 13 pole positions; secured championship with four races remaining; winner of F3 Masters at Zandvoort including pole position and lap record; winner of the Monaco F3 Grand Prix including two pole positions and two race wins and one fastest lap; winner of Pau F3 Grand Prix in France; two pole positions, two race wins and two fastest laps.
2004 F3 Euroseries: fifth; one win and third place at the Norisring and the Nürburgring; winner of Bahrain F3 Superprix.
2003 British Formula Renault: Champion; 10 wins; nine fastest laps and 11 pole positions; champion before final two rounds.
2002 British Formula Renault: third; three wins; three fastest laps; three pole positions; Formula Renault EuroCup championship fifth; one win three podiums; competed in four out of nine rounds.
2001 British Formula Renault Winter Series; fifth overall.
2000 Formula A: European Champion; winner of all four rounds; World Cup champion; awarded Karting World Number 1; winner of Masters at Bercy; founder member of BRDC 'Rising Star' membership
1999 Intercontinental A (ICA): Italian 'Industrials' champion, Junior ICA (JICA): vice-European champion; winner Trophy de Pomposa, 4th Italian Open championship.
1998 Junior ICA (JICA): second in McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series; fourth in Italian Open championship; signed by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz to Young Driver Support Programme.
1997 Junior Yamaha: Super One British Champion; winner of McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series.
1996 Cadet Class: winner of McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series; Sky TV Kart Masters Champion; Five Nations Champion
1995 Cadet Class: Super One British champion; STP champion.