Following his record-equaling seventh Formula 1 world championship title taken by a huge margin across the 2020 season, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pulled a few strings to get Lewis Hamilton’s name included in this year’s list of knights of the British Kingdom. Because Hamilton doesn’t count the United Kingdom as his country of residence anymore there were some concerns that he wouldn’t be eligible for a knighthood, but that was bypassed by adding him to the “Diplomatic and Overseas list”. Job done.
According to the Daily Mail, a source told the paper that Boris had made it unequivocally clear that he wanted Lewis to be knighted this year, and a few exceptions had to be made in order to make that happen. Hamilton has been an incredibly visible sports hero in 2020 with outspoken support for Black Lives Matter, and becoming the face of the FIA’s We Race As One campaign. And that’s to say nothing of his environmental activism campaigns. Or, you know, dominating the competition.
Hamilton will be just the fourth F1 driver to be knighted, following Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Jackie Stewart, and Sir Stirling Moss. Two further F1 paddock alumnus have been knighted, however, as both Sir Frank Williams and Sir Patrick Head have received the honorary. Lewis, however, will be the first contemporary racer to be on the grid with the title to his name. Hamilton received his MBE after winning his first championship in 2008.
This means he gets to fight crime with Excalibur, right? Does he have to live at Camelot? Does he have to fight the queen? I don’t know, I’m not British. Someone clarify this for me, please.
Anyway, congratulations to Lewis. I know this is a great honor, even if I don’t exactly know what it means to be a knight. He’ll always be my hero.
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