‘Brazilians see someone similar in me’, says Lewis Hamilton

Driver Lewis Hamilton, 37, declared his love for Brazil and stated that, somehow, he feels that he also represents many Brazilians. The Englishman is in the country for the São Paulo F1 GP and has received the title of honorary citizen.

In an interview with Sheet, the pilot said that there is a “real lack of representation” in various sectors of society. “For me as a kid, there weren’t any superheroes our color. There weren’t many real big figures on TV. Of course you have people like Muhammad Ali, but they were so far away.”

Hamilton said he believes that many Brazilians see themselves in him. “I think, then, that Brazilians see in me someone similar, maybe with similar values, who likes to think about being a good person, to care about more than just running. And I think it’s the passion I have for what I do. Maybe that connects with them. I travel all over the world and so many people ask me all the time: ‘are you Brazilian?’ (laughs).”

It was an old desire of the English to get to know the Brazilian communities more deeply. “I’ve been coming here for 15 years. I go through the favelas, but I’ve never been inside until today. I didn’t know what they were like inside. Now I see the work they are doing helping children,” said the pilot.