Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver in F1 history, but the Briton is far more than just a racing driver after applying himself to a host of industries over the years.
The Stevenage-born legend made his Formula 1 debut with McLaren in 2007, as the Woking natives promoted from within. Hamilton had been a part of McLaren’s driver academy since he was only 13 years old, and it only took him two years in F1 to secure his first drivers’ title.
Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013 amid widespread cynicism about the switch, as the Silver Arrows had seldom shown much promise after taking over Brawn GP in 2010. But Mercedes dominated following the introduction of 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid engines in the 2014 F1 season.
Mercedes’ superiority saw Hamilton clinch the 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 titles, before Red Bull rival Max Verstappen controversially beat him to the 2021 crown. The Silver Arrows’ control even saw Hamilton set new records for Grand Prix wins, poles and podiums.
Before Hamilton joined Ferrari for the 2025 season, he reached the top of F1’s record books with 105 Grand Prix wins, 104 pole positions and 202 podiums. Hamilton’s successes on the grid have also allowed him to turn his hand to his widespread interests beyond motorsport.
Lewis Hamilton featured on a Christina Aguilera song under the pseudonym, XNDA
Fashion and music are two significant aspects concerning Hamilton’s identity, and the Briton has used his status as the most successful F1 driver to date to feed those interests. Both are also forms of escape for Hamilton and allow him to take his mind off the demands of racing.
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Hamilton has reportedly written more than 80 songs to date. McFly singer Danny Jones even revealed in 2023 that Hamilton has a home recording studio and a portable studio, which he takes with him to F1 races. Hamilton has even sought feedback from Drake about his tracks.
In 2018, Hamilton also featured on the Christian Aguilera song ‘Pipe’, but he used XNDA as a pseudonym to discuss his identity. Hamilton did not confirm that he was the guest artist on Aguilera’s song until 2020 after initially denying that he had made his musical debut in 2018.
Lewis Hamilton turned down a role in Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick
F1: The Movie surpassed World War Z as Brad Pitt’s highest-grossing film so far in 2025, and the actor lauded Hamilton for his instrumental role in the film’s success. Hamilton served as a producer on F1: The Movie to offer his insights in a bid to make the film as real as possible.
Hamilton almost made his acting debut on the 2022 release Top Gun: Maverick starring Tom Cruise, as well. But much to his disappointment, Hamilton had to turn down the opportunity to feature in Top Gun: Maverick after Cruise put him in touch with director, Joseph Kosinski.
Hamilton told GQ in 2024 about a conversation he had with Cruise before Top Gun: Maverick was even announced: “I said, ‘Dude, if you ever do Top Gun 2, I will even be a janitor. Just let me be in it’.
“Firstly, I hadn’t even had an acting lesson. And I don’t want to be the one that lets this movie down. And then, secondly, I just really didn’t have the time to dedicate to it.
“I remember having to tell Joe and Tom, and it broke my heart. And then I regretted it, naturally, when they show me the movie, and it’s, ‘It could’ve been me!’”
Lewis Hamilton joined the ownership group of the NFL’s Denver Broncos in 2022
It is well known that as well as being a legendary F1 driver that Hamilton is an Arsenal fan. Yet his interest in football also extends beyond the association game and into American football.
READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton once revealed why he considers Tom Brady a ‘real role model’
Hamilton also became a limited minority shareholder in the NFL franchise Denver Broncos in August 2022, as he sought to further his advocacy for diversity and representation in sports.
Lewis Hamilton chose his racing number, #44, because of his dad’s licence plate
When Formula 1 decided to introduce permanent driver numbers in 2014, Hamilton elected to pick #44 for his. It was the number that the Briton had adopted throughout his go-karting career. The #44 has since become synonymous with Hamilton and his brands outside of F1.
But while most drivers pick the race numbers their idols once used, Hamilton’s use of #44 in go-karts and now F1 is because his dad’s licence plate during his childhood featured F44. He also chose to keep #44 as his race number when he could have used #1 as the F1 champion.
Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that he lives with ADHD and dyslexia
Hamilton founded Mission 44 in 2021 to help young people thrive in school and to go on to forge careers in STEM. The F1 icon did not like his own experiences in education after being diagnosed with dyslexia, and he told Vanity Fair in 2025 that his school life was “the worst”.
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“I struggled like hell at school,” Hamilton said. “It was the worst. My niece just discovered she’s dyslexic. I said to her, ‘I heard that you found out you’re dyslexic? Uncle is too.
“I added, ‘Look what I was able to do with that. Just know that you’re no less. Your mind just works in different ways, and you’re gonna do amazing’.”
As well as having dyslexia, Hamilton has been diagnosed with ADHD. He opened up in 2020 to Gentleman’s Journal about his experiences with ADHD, noting: “I’ve had some really bad experiences in the kitchen. It’s been a disaster in the past for me.
“I’m ADHD, so if I do cook something, say a pasta dish, I’ll make it, but then I’ll have to clean everything I used before I eat it.
“I also like to watch TV while I eat. So, I’ll probably spend another half hour figuring out what to watch before I’ve even taken a bite. You know, we’re all weird in our own ways, and that’s just one of my weirdisms.”
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