Lewis Hamilton is one of the highest-paid drivers in Formula 1.
As previously reported by AFROTECH™, the English race car driver entered the sport at 8 years old. Representation was scarce, but the sport gave him a chance to feel accepted.
“Being the only Black kid on the circuit, struggling at school, really, always my big drive was acceptance — ‘If I win the race, I will receive that acceptance in this world,’” he told GQ at the time.
Hamilton grew up to make history in the sport. He went pro in 2007, at 22, signing with McLaren. In doing so, he became the first Black driver in Formula 1.
“When I first started in Formula 1, I tried to ignore the fact I was the first black guy ever to race in the sport,” Hamilton told BBC. “But, as I’ve got older, I’ve really started to appreciate the implications. It’s a pretty cool feeling to be the person to knock down a barrier — just like the Williams sisters did in tennis or Tiger Woods in golf.”
Hamilton later signed with the Mercedes Formula 1 team in 2013, where he had an impressive run. His 12 years with the team led to 246 races, 84 victories, and seven drivers’ championships, ESPN reported. He shocked the world when he announced he was transitioning to Ferrari on Jan. 1, 2025. He described his post on the team as checking off a “childhood dream,” Forbes reports.
His time with the team has been a rockier start than his past performances, with Hamilton finishing sixth in the driver standings in 2025. This also marked the first time he ended the season without finishing in the top three at a single Grand Prix.
In November, Hamilton said he doesn’t regret his move.
“I don’t regret the decision I’ve made to join the team. I know it takes time to build and grow within an organization and [I] expected that,” he said, according to Formula 1.
Hamilton received a $70 million salary with Ferrari and a $500,000 bonus, according to Forbes. That makes him the second-highest-paid driver in Formula 1, trailing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who earned $76 million.
