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Lewis Hamilton officially received honorary Brazilian citizenship at the Chamber of Deputies in Brasilia on Monday.
Congressman Andre Figueiredo was the one who made the suggestion in November last year after Hamilton won the 2021 F1 Brazilian GP. The Mercedes driver carried the Brazilian flag on the podium and during his victory lap.
With Hamilton coming to the country on the eve of the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP, it was the perfect time for him to be given honorary citizenship.
The 37-year-old told the crowd at the ceremony, as quoted by Reuters:
“I feel like now I’m one of you. I have so many amazing memories of Brazil. And particularly 2021. Knowing you guys would cheer me on the way was one of the most special moments of my entire life. I can’t wait for us to continue to strive ahead.”
Lewis Hamilton's admiration for F1 legend Ayrton Senna is one of the reasons many fans in Brazil love him.
Hamilton grew up admiring Senna. In the early years of his career, he wore the same yellow helmet as a tribute to the three-time world champion.
Lewis Hamilton's reaction to getting honorary Brazilian citizenship
Lewis Hamilton was told he would be getting honorary Brazilian citizenship during the 2022 F1 Azerbaijan GP.
During the ceremony on Monday, the Mercedes driver revealed that he was surprised when he heard the news. He said:
"[I was] surprised like everyone else yesterday when I heard about it. No one contacted me and told me we just heard about in the news. I’ve not heard of that happening. I’m sure it does in other places, but Brazil has always been a place that I’ve loved and admired as a kid.
"Obviously, following Ayrton [Senna], and you’re naturally drawn to the country, but through my life, just meeting more and more Brazilian resilience and knowing more about the culture and the community and it’s very, very diverse there."
He added:
"There’s a lot of energy, music, colour and I’ve had over the years amazing times there. I won my first World Championship in Brazil and 14 years later, whatever it is, the epic race that I had there last year and the moment I had with the Brazilian flag, so that’s my like biggest following is in Brazil. So I’m very, very honoured and grateful and can’t wait to spend more time there."
The race weekend in Brazil is surely going to be an emotional one for Lewis Hamilton.
