Lewis Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2015. He is now set to battle for his fifth Formula One world title. (Luke MacGregor/Reuters)
In the week leading up to the Formula One title race, The Times journalist Nicolas Hamilton speaks to us about his brother Lewis, professional racing and his attempts to make it as a stand-up comedian.
“My life is great. I love my life. Of course there are things about my brother that annoy me, it’s normal,” he said in conversation with Richard Pennycook, director of programming and programming development at Top Gear magazine. “But he’s one of the greatest sportsmen to walk the planet. He is the best driver in the world. He won the most recent Formula One world title and he is still winning. He has done it three years in a row, so he is hugely driven.”
Nicolas, as a young boy, was a Lewis fan. He joined to get in on the act with two brothers — Neil and Robin — who were also big in motorsport.
“When I was a little boy I loved being with my brothers,” he recalled. “I was lucky as my parents were so supportive. They didn’t allow me to watch [sports like] soccer and rugby at that age. My brothers were racing. I was hoping they were going to race each other. That is the dream of every little boy in that position.”
Nicolas describes Lewis’ actions as his “work ethic, ruthlessness, athleticism, good looks” and his “fantastic showmanship.”
When Lewis turned to racing, his brother noticed immediately that the boy “got it” and “developed an innate awareness.”