Lewis Hamilton's father has only 'admiration and awe' for what the 7x F1 world champion has achieved

Lewis Hamilton's father Anthony has been with the seven-time world champion right from the very beginning. At the start of his racing career, both Hamilton and his father suffered extensive discrimination due to their skin color, which made it difficult for the Briton to enter racing and progress forward. However, his father helped him pull through tough times and follow his dreams.

As of now, Lewis Hamilton is one of the most successful and famous F1 drivers in the sport's history. He is not only a racing driver but also a businessman, and an activist against all kinds of social and global issues. Hamilton Sr. once spoke about how he admires and praises his son for achieving so much in his life, saying:

“I sit in admiration and awe of Lewis for everything he has done. It’s a fantastic thing. I’m thinking, ‘Wow. You’re not just a race driver. You’ve become a statesman, a spokesman, a champion of causes for other people.’ You shouldn’t be frightened to speak your mind. And what you see with Lewis is a young man, a son, who has a heart, who has feelings, who cares for other people.”

Anthony Hamilton also spoke about how Lewis Hamilton is occasionally criticized for his lifestyle. He later explained how his son simply had a dream to become the very best, and how he is simply enjoying life after achieving that dream. He said:

“When I see people criticise him for whatever lifestyle he may have led, well, they don’t really know him. What they see is his public persona. They see that he has money, gold chains, and other bits and pieces, but that’s nothing.”

He further added:

“What you see on the outside is not what people are; it’s what’s on the inside. And what’s on the inside is a young man who had a dream when he was eight years of age, worked hard, worked diligently, became the best in his field, honestly; is very kind, a very good son, a very good brother. And is enjoying life.”

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Lewis Hamilton explains the emotional and psychological relationship between F1 drivers

Speaking on Jay Shetty's podcast On Purpose, Lewis Hamilton explained how F1 drivers have a lot in common but cannot always share their interests as normal people do due to their competitive nature. Since all of them are racing each other to grab the top spot on the grid, they cannot be extra friendly to any other driver even if they like them.

Hamilton said:

"We have a lot more in common than we think. But we're so competitive and a lot of us have a defence. You want to beat the guy, but you like the guy. You might like the person outside the car, but you can't show that. There's this whole psychological battle you're having with yourself and getting away with yourself a lot of the time."

Drivers like Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, and George Russell have been seen hanging out and sharing their interests off the track. According to Lewis Hamilton, however, there is always a mental relationship barrier that cannot be crossed simply because they will be racing each other eventually.