Challenges in the Life of Lewis Hamilton in a Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Lewis Hamilton's life and career.

Lewis Hamilton is a highly accomplished British Formula One racing driver currently competing for Ferrari. He holds a joint-record of seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, sharing the honor with Michael Schumacher. Hamilton also holds the Formula One records for the most race wins (105), pole positions (104), and podium finishes (202), establishing him as one of the sport's most dominant and successful figures.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

2005: Disagreement and Re-signing with McLaren

In 2005, a dispute between Anthony Hamilton and Martin Whitmarsh about Lewis's career progression led to a torn-up contract, but Hamilton later re-signed with McLaren.

December 2007: Hamilton suspended from driving in France

In December 2007, Hamilton was suspended from driving in France for a month after being caught speeding at 196 km/h (122 mph) on a French motorway. His Mercedes-Benz CLK was also impounded during the incident.

2007: Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying Incident

During the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton ignored team requests to let Fernando Alonso pass, leading to Alonso delaying Hamilton in the pits. Alonso received a grid penalty, and McLaren lost Constructors' Championship points. Hamilton expressed regret over the points loss and was reported to have sworn at Dennis, which McLaren later denied.

2007: Racist Abuse at Chinese Grand Prix

In 2007, Lewis Hamilton faced racist abuse from Spanish Formula One supporters at the Chinese Grand Prix.

2007: Tensions with Alonso at Monaco

In 2007, at the Monaco Grand Prix, tensions arose between Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Fernando Alonso after Hamilton finished second. His post-race comments suggested he was forced into a supporting role, leading to an FIA investigation into potential team order violations by McLaren.

2007: Relationship with Alonso Collapses

In 2007, the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso reportedly collapsed, leading to speculation about their future with McLaren.

2008: Racist Abuse at Circuit de Catalunya

During pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in 2008, Lewis Hamilton was heckled and abused by Spanish spectators who wore black face paint and wigs, prompting the FIA to launch a "Race Against Racism" campaign.

2009: Drivers' Championship Ranking

Following Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel's four-year dominance of the sport, Hamilton's resolve was tested and he did not finish higher than fourth in the Drivers' Championship from 2009 to 2013.

2009: McLaren's challenging start and improvement

In 2009, major technical regulation changes led to a challenging start for McLaren. However, major upgrades at the German Grand Prix dramatically improved the performance of the MP4-24 car, resulting in Hamilton securing two race victories and three additional podium finishes.

2010: Overtaking the safety car at the 2010 European Grand Prix

Earlier in his career, Hamilton was criticised for being hot-headed at times. He overtook the safety car at the 2010 European Grand Prix in Valencia. The same thing he did in Imola in the GP2 Series

2010: Involvement in Four-Way Title Battle

In 2010, Lewis Hamilton was involved in a four-way title battle during his time at McLaren, achieving multiple race wins.

2010: Hamilton's Title Challenge and Setbacks

In 2010, Lewis Hamilton was partnered by Jenson Button and engaged in a four-way title battle. He secured McLaren's only pole position of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix and took the championship lead after winning the race. However, misfortunes in the latter half of the season led to him finishing fourth in the standings.

2010: Hamilton's car impounded in Australia

Two days before the 2010 Australian Grand Prix, Victoria Police witnessed Hamilton "deliberately losing traction" in his silver Mercedes-AMG C63, and impounded the car for 48 hours. He was later fined A$500 and described as a "hoon" by the magistrate.

2011: Challenging year for Hamilton

2011 was a challenging year for Lewis Hamilton. He was out-scored by his teammate, Jenson Button. Setbacks in his private life, as well as on-track collisions, contributed to inconsistent performances. Hamilton finished fifth in the standings with three race wins.

2011: Ali G Comment

In 2011, after being summoned to the stewards in five of the opening six rounds, Lewis Hamilton quipped, "maybe it's because I'm black, that's what Ali G says."

2012: Hamilton's final year with McLaren

In 2012, Lewis Hamilton remained in title contention during the first half of the season, but a challenging latter half with mechanical failures led to a fourth-place finish. Motorsport.com analysis found that Hamilton had lost an estimated 110 points due to race retirements and other misfortunes. He announced he would join Mercedes for the 2013 season.

2013: Drivers' Championship Ranking

Following Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel's four-year dominance of the sport, Hamilton's resolve was tested and he did not finish higher than fourth in the Drivers' Championship from 2009 to 2013.

2013: Joining Mercedes with Rosberg

In 2013, Lewis Hamilton joined Mercedes and was paired with his former karting teammate and friend, Nico Rosberg. Their relationship became strained during their time as teammates.

2014: Mercedes's Dominance

From 2014, Lewis Hamilton drove for Mercedes which began a period of dominance.

2014: Double Standards in Media Treatment

In 2014, Joseph Harker of The Guardian highlighted double standards in British newspapers' treatment of Lewis Hamilton compared to other British drivers, suggesting his skin color played a role.

2016: Finished Behind Teammate

In 2016, Hamilton finished behind his teammate in the standings for the first time since joining Mercedes, signaling a shift in team dynamics and performance challenges.

2016: Mercedes's Dominance

In 2016, Lewis Hamilton drove for Mercedes which began a period of dominance.

2016: Hamilton finishes runner-up to Rosberg

In 2016, Lewis Hamilton finished runner-up to Rosberg in the championship. Despite winning six of seven races mid-season, including the Hungarian Grand Prix, an engine blowout in Malaysia and team order defiance in Abu Dhabi led to Rosberg taking the title. Hamilton broke the record for most wins in a season without becoming the champion.

2017: Championship Battle with Vettel

In 2017, Ferrari produced a car capable of challenging Mercedes' dominance, leading to a championship battle between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. Despite some on-track incidents, they developed a strong mutual respect.

2018: Continued Championship Battle with Vettel

In 2018, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel continued their championship battle, with Mercedes and Hamilton ultimately winning the championship.

2018: Criticism of Lack of Diversity

In 2018, Lewis Hamilton criticized the lack of diversity in Formula One, stating "nothing's changed" in the 11 years since his debut.

2019: End of Wet Weather Winning Streak

Hamilton's streak of remaining unbeaten in wet weather races from the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix ended at the 2019 German Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen broke the streak.

2019: Media Scrutiny with Racist Undertones

In 2019, Rio Ferdinand described media scrutiny of Lewis Hamilton as having "racist undertones", contrasting it to the treatment of Jenson Button.

May 2020: Criticism of Formula One's Silence

Following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, Lewis Hamilton criticized prominent figures in Formula One for their silence on the issue, using Instagram to express his views.

2021: Online Racist Abuse After British Grand Prix

Following a controversial win at the 2021 British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was subjected to online racist abuse, which was condemned by Mercedes, Formula One, and the FIA.

2021: Hamilton denied the championship

In 2021, Lewis Hamilton battled Max Verstappen for the title, engaging in on-track battles and collisions. He achieved his 100th pole position and race win. Despite leading the majority of the race in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton was denied the championship by a last-lap overtake from Verstappen. During the year, Hamilton extended his contract with Mercedes.

2021: Surpassing 100 Race Wins and Pole Positions

In 2021, Lewis Hamilton became the first driver to surpass 100 race wins and 100 pole positions, finishing runner-up to Max Verstappen amidst a controversial finish.

2022: Winless Season

2022 was a challenging year for Lewis Hamilton as he experienced a winless season.

2022: Challenging Season with Mercedes

In 2022, Hamilton, partnered by George Russell, experienced his first Formula One season without a race win or pole position. Technical regulation changes and issues with the Mercedes W13 car, including porpoising, led to a challenging campaign where he finished sixth in the standings, behind his teammate Russell.

2023: Another Winless Season

In 2023, Lewis Hamilton faced another season without a race win, marking a difficult period in his career.

September 2024: Hamilton reveals battling depression

In an interview in September 2024, Lewis Hamilton stated he has been battling depression from the age of 13.

2024: Departure from Mercedes Announced

In 2024, Hamilton triggered an exit-clause in his contract to leave Mercedes at the end of the season, a year before it was due to expire. He secured his ninth British Grand Prix victory, ending a 31-month winless drought, and finished the season a career-lowest seventh in the championship.