Back in October 2015, on the brink of his third Formula 1 world championship, Lewis Hamilton sat down for an interview with RACER. At 30 years old, the Mercedes driver was at the peak of his dominant run in the sport, but his answers to one question offered something beyond racing.When asked about his personal Hall of Fame, Hamilton listed, via Racer.com:"Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Michael Jackson, Prince, Stevie Wonder."The seven-time world champion was then pressed further, as he added one from F1:"I would say Ayrton Senna, Juan Manuel Fangio, Pele, there's lots of others. I could go on and on, I just have to think about it for a long time."Lewis Hamilton's choices were telling. Senna and Fangio were obvious names for a racing driver - two of the sport's most revered champions. Ali and Mandela, though, carried a deeper personal meaning. Hamilton has often called Ali his sporting hero, citing his courage and conviction outside the ring. His bond with Mandela, meanwhile, was personal.The British driver visited Mandela with his family during his early career, a meeting he has described as life-changing. Over the years, Hamilton has often found inspiration in Mandela's words. On Instagram, in 2020, he posted a pic with Mandela on his birthday: View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIt was one of many moments where Lewis Hamilton openly remembered Mandela.Lewis Hamilton, a Hall of Fame figure himself?Lewis Hamilton with his mother after he was made a Knight Bachelor on December 15, 2021. Source: GettyA decade after that interview, Lewis Hamilton has become what many of his idols represented: a global figurehead. His fight has not only been on the racetrack but also in social change. Much like the idols that inspired him, Hamilton has taken on the role of a flagbearer for representation. Hamilton was one of the strongest voices in the F1 paddock during the Black Lives Matter movement."Last year some of us took a knee in support of equality which I am proud of. My question is, what's next? The inequities within our sport and within our world persist. Change is still needed. We must keep pushing to hold ourselves and others accountable. We have to keep striving for equality for all, in order to continue to see true and lasting change in our world," Hamilton told F1.com in 2021.Hamilton formed the Hamilton Commission in 2020, an independent study into the lack of diversity in motorsport. Its findings later shaped the Mission 44 foundation - a charity aimed at empowering young people from underrepresented backgrounds.Even today, Lewis Hamilton continues to push for change. Earlier this year, he tied up with the UK government to help shape the school curriculum. Working with the Education Secretary, his foundation began focusing on making education more inclusive and reflective of diverse experiences.