It’s an exciting end to the season. Tied on points, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton left the Formula 1 title decision for the last race of the year, the Abu Dhabi GP, this Sunday. Hamilton could become the first eight-time world champion in the sport’s history. Will the British like him better for this? I do not think so.
Without a doubt, there is recognition in the UK for everything the pilot does for British sport. But there is a sharp line between admiration and affection. Seeing Hamilton receive an ovation at the Interlagos GP when he took the Brazilian flag, I wonder if Brazilians have more affection for him.
The pilot has been the target of all sorts of negative headlines over the years, and many seem to be peevish. For some, his clothes are too extravagant. When he publicly fights racism, defends environmental issues, vegan food, he runs the risk of being judged for taking too much stance. He was criticized for having left the United Kingdom for Monaco (which other pilots have also done) and accused of leaving his own “Americanized” accent. There are even those who say that he only wins because of the car. Even winning a lot became a problem.
In a documentary about the British Royal Family shown by the BBC, a journalist described the relationship between subjects and royalty in a way that is both funny and realistic. He said the British won’t criticize the Royal Family as long as its members have “a boring life involving dogs, horses, Scotland or anything we’re not jealous of.” “They can’t look like they’re having fun because their job is to stand in the rain and wave.” There is a resemblance to someone who expects Hamilton to just win and keep quiet.
A year ago, I did a story for Folha to try to find out why he wasn’t so popular among the British. I went to Stevenage, England, hometown of Hamilton. That’s where he started kart and joined the McLaren development program at age 13. Mentioning his name there generates a mixture of pride and distrust.
Some accuse him of arrogance and questioning origins. In 2018, giving a speech at the BBC’s annual Sports Personality of the Year awards, he said: “It was a dream for our family to do something different, get out of the slums.” The next day, he apologized and said he made the wrong choice of words, but the damage was done.
In Stevenage, the majority are white –88% and middle class. Only 3.4% are black. For that report, I interviewed Kehinde Andrews, Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University. Andrews said that if Hamilton weren’t black, he would be more popular, and he believes Britons identify with white athletes. The driver, the only black in Formula 1, has already said that he suffered racism in his career.
In 2019, the tabloid The Sun published an interview in which Hamilton said he proudly displayed the British flag and that, for some, his victories didn’t seem like enough. Does he still think these days about that love — or the lack of it? Hopefully, for the pilot, the British are like that school crush you try to conquer, you get a “no” several times and then give up, go on to the next one and you’ll be happy. Whatever the outcome of the race on Sunday, Hamilton doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone.
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