“It started with a dream”: Lewis Hamilton reflects on his F1 career
The Brit begins his 20th F1 season this week
Lewis Hamilton got emotional on his Instagram when reflecting on his illustrious Formula 1 career as he heads into his 20th season on the grid.
The 41-year-old heads into this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix beginning his second campaign with Ferrari.
With a full season under his belt in red, expectations are higher this time around. The seven-time world champion will be aiming to lay down an early marker in Melbourne and show that he and Ferrari are ready to mount a serious challenge from the very first race.
“20 seasons as an F1 driver,” said Hamilton on his Instagram.
“It’s hard to even grasp the reality of that number. It started with a dream. A dream some called ridiculous and said would never amount to anything.
“There will always be people who doubt you, people who try to block you, but you can’t ever stop fighting.”
Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 journey at the very top began with McLaren, the team that gave him his breakthrough opportunity and helped launch one of the greatest careers in the sport’s history.
Hamilton made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2007 after rising through their young driver programme. From the very first race in Australia, he looked like a star in the making, finishing on the podium in his opening nine consecutive Grand Prixs. In his rookie season, he narrowly missed out on the world title by a single point, an extraordinary achievement for a debutant.
He didn’t have to wait long for glory. In 2008, Hamilton won his first Formula One World Championship in dramatic fashion, clinching the title on the final corner of the final lap in Brazil. That championship made him the youngest world champion in F1 history at the time and the first Black driver to win the title.
Hamilton added in his caption that, despite the incredible achievements he has accomplished throughout his career, the journey has not always been easy.
“Twenty years filled with incredible highs and brutal lows, with more mistakes than I can count,” he said.
“You hold the power to your destiny. Everything you need to succeed is within you. You will need help along the way like I did, but that spark, that fire, is already inside you.”
Hamilton made the bold decision to leave McLaren for Mercedes in 2013, a move that proved to define his career. With Mercedes, Hamilton enjoyed the most dominant spell of his career winning six world titles with the team (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020).
He broke numerous records during that era, including becoming the sport’s all-time leader in race wins and equalling Michael Schumacher’s seven world championships, cementing it as the greatest and most successful period of his F1 journey.
Hamilton then made another headline move when he announced in 2024 that he would be joining Ferrari in the following season. His first campaign in red was seen as a transitional year as he adapted to a new car and environment, showing flashes of competitiveness but lacking the consistency to mount a full title challenge.
Ferrari arrive in Melbourne this week widely regarded, along with Mercedes, as strong contenders to challenge at the front of the grid following an encouraging pre-season testing programme, and Hamilton has made it clear he’s eagerly anticipating this milestone season.
“I’m grateful for the doubters and for the ones who tried to knock me down,” Hamilton continued.
“I’m still here, 20 years on, still standing, still hungry, still focused on the dream. No holding back.”
