Lewis Hamilton is one of the most famous names in world sport.
By any measure, he’s the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time: he’s won more Grands Prix, secured
more pole positions and finished on more podiums than anyone, and matches Michael Schumacher’s record of 7 World Championship driver’s titles. Moreover, he’s a global star the likes of which motorsports has never seen before. Even people who don’t give a toss about F1 know Lewis Hamilton.
Well, going forward, they’re going to have to know a different name. The 37-year-old Englishman, who’s just about to head into his 16th season in F1, has just announced plans to change his name to include his mother Carmen’s surname.
“My mum’s name is Larbalestier and I’m just about to put that in my name… I don’t really fully understand the whole idea when people get married then the woman loses her name,” the Mercedes driver said during an onstage interview at the Dubai World Expo earlier today.
Hamilton won’t be changing his surname or rocking a double-barrelled surname, but will instead incorporate his mum’s surname Larbalestier as a middle name. Hamilton said he was “working on” the name change but that it wouldn’t come into effect for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend.
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Carmen Larbalestier divorced Lewis’s father Anthony Hamilton when he was 2 but he lived with his mum until the age of 12. Hamilton is fiercely protective of his mum, who usually shuns the spotlight – making a notable exception earlier this year when she accompanied Lewis to Windsor Castle for his knighthood ceremony.
Anthony Hamilton, of course, has been instrumental in Lewis’ career as a driver. Hamilton Sr. quit his job and worked up to four jobs at a time to support Lewis’ racing, and was even his manager until 2010. He remains a crucial part of Lewis’ inner circle.
Indeed, Anthony Hamilton made headlines when he very graciously joined his son in congratulating Max Verstappen and his father Jos after the former won the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to take the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship last year, which you can watch below.
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