Lewis Hamilton’s ‘Really Real’ Response to What His Fans Still Don’t Know About Him

41-year-old Lewis Hamilton stands as one of the most successful drivers in F1 history, having won more races, more pole positions and more podiums than anyone in the sport, alongside seven world championships. But despite the immensely successful career that has spanned nearly two decades, the British driver says he still has some anxiety issues that make it difficult for him to be a part of the sport.

“Gonna be really real here,” Hamilton told the media when asked what’s the one thing his fans still don’t know about him. “I struggle with anxiety and being in these huge arenas with lots of people, and I really, really struggle with that. And I have to do all these exercises to calm myself down before. That’s why you don’t really ever see me at award ceremonies.”

Notably, this isn’t the first time that the British driver has detailed his struggles with taking center stage. During an interview in 2023, the No. 44 driver detailed that there are a number of things he struggles with. Behind the camera, the Briton is “not good.” He tends to freeze up and never wants to be on stage.

Hamilton further revealed that he doesn’t enjoy being a part of the award shows either, and often asks his close ones to go and receive an award or honor on his behalf. The 41-year-old further avoids reading anything about himself online, as the negative comments or footage can lead to added mental stress for him.

The Ferrari driver does not want to trouble himself with the opinion of others, particularly given he has struggled with it since an early age.

Lewis Hamilton Feels His Struggles Stem From the Struggles of His Youth

Hamilton has always been very vocal about his mental health issues, and has often claimed that he has been dealing with them since his teenage years. Growing up in Stevenage, the F1 ace experienced racism in his school days, owing to the fact that his parents are mixed race.

In his 20s, Hamilton had particularly difficult phases, given he had just become the only driver of African descent to make it to the F1 grid.

But the struggles actually began when he was around 13, when he started experiencing racism at school alongside getting bullied and having no one to talk to about it all.

After a period of soul-searching during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamilton started meditating and going for a run at five in the morning. For the Briton, it is a “great way of getting in touch with my inner feelings (and) understanding what I can do.”

At the time, Hamilton hadn’t found much luck in zeroing in on a therapist that he particularly liked. But the idea of going through therapy wasn’t something he put away. For the Briton, it was all about finding the right person when needed.

Lewis Hamilton Has Been on a Mission To Find His Roots

For the seven-time world champion, some of his issues also arise from the fact that he isn’t entirely aware of his familial roots. Being of African descent, he has taken several trips across the African continent to find out where he truly comes from.

The most significant of these trips came shortly after his heartbreaking loss to Max Verstappen under questionable circumstances during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Not only did the journey help Hamilton heal from the wound of the AD21 incident, but it also inched him closer to finding where his family name comes from.

Opting to keep things personal, Hamilton did not reveal much but admitted that he was able to track down the origin of his last name. He revealed that it belonged to a slave owner from Scotland named Robert Hamilton, who owned a plantation. While Hamilton refused to share any more info, he did hint at a documentary on the journey sometime in the future.

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