Lewis Hamilton: "I was expelled from school and seen as different. I tell young people: read Mandela"

Lewis Hamilton: “I was expelled from school and seen as different. I tell young people: read Mandela”. Lewis Hamilton opens up about his early struggles.

Lewis Hamilton shows motivation and confidence with Ferrari as he approaches the start of his second season with the Maranello-based team. In a heartfelt interview with Corriere della Sera, the British champion shared his thoughts on racing, personal growth, and social responsibility. “My goal last year was to win the World Championship with Ferrari, and I didn’t achieve it,” Lewis Hamilton said. “That doesn’t mean I can’t reach it: you have to look inside yourself, observe the people around you—from your team to your family—stay motivated, and ask yourself difficult questions. But this is the year of the Fire Horse according to the Chinese calendar. It represents freedom, the desire to clear your mind from pressure, and bring core values back to the center.”

Lewis Hamilton’s world extends beyond Ferrari. He co-produced a Formula 1 movie that has now received four Oscar nominations. “It was a journey that started four years ago with a call from director Joe Kosinski. I remember the early meetings about the script. Reading the first draft, I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is Hollywood style mixed with Fast & Furious.’ So, I started ‘educating’ everyone about F1—from the writers to the actors, to the producer. It’s a shame I can’t attend the Oscars night, but we’re racing in China.”

Always socially conscious, the Briton created the Mission 44 Foundation to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth. “We support 46 organizations just in the UK, three in Brazil, and others in the USA. We want to try to change the lives and careers of young people from weaker social classes, support minorities, and bring diversity into the environment. To overcome educational barriers that exist even if they are not visible. I’ve been through this myself. I was expelled from school for faults I didn’t commit; the principal didn’t want me to succeed. They considered me different. So we start from school to expand opportunities to universities, companies, and teams. In the F1 film, I wanted to put a woman in charge of aerodynamics to send a message. Do you know how many girls wrote to ask how to become an F1 engineer? And in the cast, I also included a Black mechanic. If you don’t see it, you don’t believe it’s possible.”

Lewis Hamilton’s dedication is inspired by Ayrton Senna: “He had a much broader vision than most drivers. Today, very few people speak about sustainability, children’s rights, or racism: with the visibility we have, we could make a huge difference.” But his heroes don’t stop at Senna. “Get a biography of Nelson Mandela. When I started learning about him, he inspired me so much. Mandela is my hero along with Muhammad Ali, Superman, and Senna.”

Finally, Lewis Hamilton addressed any perceived rivalry with teammate Charles Leclerc: “Ferrari is one team, and he is a great driver. For 14 months, I have been working on the 2026 car, at the simulator and with the engineers. Compared to the previous car, which I found already designed and where I could change very little, this car carries a bit of my DNA.”

Through his work on the track and his advocacy off it, Lewis Hamilton continues to demonstrate that his legacy in Formula 1 is defined not just by titles, but by the lasting impact he leaves on the sport and the next generation of talent.