A lot is known about Lewis Hamilton. The 7-time F1 World Champion was duly knighted by the Prince of Wales for his services to the world of motorsports. However, little is known about his half-brother, Nicolas Hamilton.
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Nicolas is a paternal half-brother of Lewis Hamilton. He competes for the Yazoo with Safuu.com team in the British Touring Car Championship. He suffers from cerebral palsy and has certain physical limitations. Consequently, he drives a specially modified car for his team.
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Nicolas also gives motivational speeches around the world. In one such speech he gave in Denmark, he narrates an incident from his childhood involving Lewis.
As Nicolas was bullied by his peers because of being wheelchair-bound, he sought his brother’s advice. Lewis then said, “We’ll use this wheelchair to make you cooler.” Nicolas says, “I became Tony Hawk in a wheelchair, I was like jumping steps, doing wheelies, spinning around.”
Lewis shared a clip of this speech as his Instagram Story for his massive following of 30 million people.
While Nicolas narrates the incident for the audience with the intention to “take the mickey out of Lewis”, he also intends to tell them how great Lewis is. The latter is known for his generous contributions to social causes.
Lewis Hamilton’s Philanthropic Activities
Lewis continues to contribute to multiple causes and foundations around the world. Recently the Briton was ranked 5th on the Giving List. The Giving List is part of the Sunday Times Rich List, and reports on donations by celebrities to social causes.
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes during an interview ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of The Netherlands at Zandvoort circuit in Zandvoort, Netherlands on September 1, 2022. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
He was ranked 5th, above other generous philanthropists Mo Salah and Stormzy. It is reported that he has donated about 6.7% of his wealth, with figures amounting to £23 million donated in 2022 itself. His causes cover education and employment, among others.
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He also recently launched “Mission 44”, a charitable foundation in collaboration with Mercedes. With a pledge of £23 million for the programme, it aims to increase diversity in STEM and Engineering fields. He says, “Supporting the ambitions of underrepresented young people has always been important to me and Mission 44 represents my commitment to create real change within this community.”
Further adding, “In my early life, I experienced first-hand how coming from an underrepresented background can affect your future but, luckily for me, I was able to overcome those odds through opportunity and support. I want to ensure that other young people from similar backgrounds are able to do the same.”
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Watch This Story: Lewis Hamilton Risks Angering the Neighbors Again
While naysayers tend to find faults wherever they want to, one must not forget the generosity that Lewis has shown all these years. He has genuinely worked for the betterment of society. It is one of the many reasons fans love the man so much.
