Toto Wolff: Sir Lewis Hamilton now has 'recognition he deserves'

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is delighted that Lewis Hamilton has been given a knighthood, calling it the “recognition he deserves”.

The 35-year-old Briton, who was already an MBE, has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours list following his record-equalling seventh World Championship in 2020.

Sir Lewis Hamilton now becomes Formula 1’s sixth knight, joining fellow British racing legends Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jackie Stewart, and Australia’s Sir Jack Brabham.

Sir Frank Williams and the co-founder of his F1 team, Sir Patrick Head, have also had the prestigious honour bestowed upon them.

It feels like a knighthood that was well overdue for Hamilton, and Wolff was delighted to see his star driver finally get the recognition he feels he deserves.

“Lewis is one of the very greatest racing drivers of all time and the most successful British sportsperson of his era,” Wolff told the Mercedes website.

“Around the world, he has long been recognised for his sporting achievement.

“The news that he is to receive a knighthood shows that he is now receiving the recognition he has earned during a career of unparalleled success in motorsport. The UK can be very proud to have a champion and ambassador of the calibre of Sir Lewis Hamilton.”

Speaking to Sky F1, British ex-racing driver Martin Brundle said: “Congratulations to him, and very well deserved.

“Seven world titles he has in his pocket now equalling the great Michael Schumacher. He tops the tables in Formula 1 for most victories at 95, most pole positions at 98, most podiums at 165.

“He’s 36 years old on January 7. Most of the young guns aiming to knock him off the pedestal are 10-15 years younger than him and he still turns up with his A-game; full of energy, pushing like crazy.

“When we see Lewis up on the podium and we hear the national anthem, and we see him with the Union Flag and being crowd-surfed at Silverstone, this all sums it up in terms of underlining what he has achieved in representing Great Britain and Formula 1.

“If anybody in sporting terms deserves this recognition then surely it’s Sir Lewis Hamilton.”

Hamilton is expected to sign a new contract to remain with Mercedes for the 2021 season, though official confirmation is yet to come.

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