Editing Lewis Hamilton (section)

==Early life and education==
[[File:Hamilton and Father Brazil 2008.jpg|thumb|upright|Hamilton celebrating with his father and then-manager Anthony Hamilton after the [[2008 Brazilian Grand Prix]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Anthony Hamilton's massive support makes parting with Lewis easier to understand|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/lewishamilton/7355036/Anthony-Hamiltons-massive-support-makes-parting-with-Lewis-easier-to-understand.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/lewishamilton/7355036/Anthony-Hamiltons-massive-support-makes-parting-with-Lewis-easier-to-understand.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Daily Telegraph |date=3 March 2010|access-date=14 May 2010|location=London|first=Tom|last=Cary}}{{cbignore}}</ref>|left]]
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born on 7 January 1985 in [[Stevenage]], Hertfordshire.<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite book|title=Lewis Hamilton: My Story|last=Hamilton|first=Lewis|isbn=978-0-00-727005-7|page=33|publisher=[[HarperCollins|HarperSport]]|year=2007}}</ref><ref name="Kelso">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/apr/20/paulkelso.uknews4|title=Profile: Lewis Hamilton|last=Kelso|first=Paul|date=20 April 2007|work=The Guardian |access-date=26 June 2008|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005142006/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/apr/20/paulkelso.uknews4|archive-date=5 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> His father, [[Anthony Hamilton (racing manager)|Anthony Hamilton]], is of [[Afro-Grenadians|Afro-Grenadian]] descent, while his mother, Carmen Larbalestier, is [[White British]] from [[Birmingham]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=FreeBMD Entry Info|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?scan=1&r=212152514:9565&d=bmd_1637027742|access-date=12 December 2021|website=freebmd.org.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212190025/https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?scan=1&r=212152514:9565&d=bmd_1637027742|archive-date=12 December 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref> making him [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|mixed-race]].<ref name="Wolff"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lewishamilton.com/post/first-black-driver/|title=Being F1's first black driver is important|website=lewishamilton.com|access-date=7 March 2018|archive-date=8 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308041330/http://www.lewishamilton.com/post/first-black-driver/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hamilton's parents separated when he was two, after which he lived with his mother and older half-sisters, Samantha and Nicola, until he was twelve.<ref name="DSpyHamilton">{{cite web|last=Mathé|first=Charlotte|title=10 Things About ... Lewis Hamilton|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/10-things-about/a582795/10-things-about-lewis-hamilton/|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|date=12 July 2014|access-date=21 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820214050/https://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/10-things-about/a582795/10-things-about-lewis-hamilton/|archive-date=20 August 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Hamilton then lived with his father, stepmother Linda, and his half-brother [[Nicolas Hamilton|Nicolas]], who is also a professional racing driver.<ref>{{Cite AV media|title=The Life of Formula 1 Champ Lewis Hamilton (Full Segment) {{!}} Real Sports w/ Bryant Gumbel {{!}} HBO|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZVMTuSsEX4|access-date=26 October 2020|date=20 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209235841/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZVMTuSsEX4|archive-date=9 December 2020|url-status=live|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name="timeonline_cool">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article5069252.ece|title=Lewis Hamilton admits: 'I just don't know how I kept my cool'|work=[[The Times]]|date=3 November 2008|author=Matt Dickinson|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509090949/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article5069252.ece|archive-date=9 May 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=9 May 2009}}</ref> Hamilton was raised a [[Catholic]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/lewis-hamilton/trivia.html;jsessionid=EC73F0B4D8B84D48A7D4B67E238E9055|title=Lewis Hamilton Biography&nbsp;– Trivia|work=[[The Biography Channel]]|publisher=thebiographychannel.co.uk|access-date=7 May 2013|location=London|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525232920/http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/lewis-hamilton/trivia.html%3Bjsessionid%3DEC73F0B4D8B84D48A7D4B67E238E9055|archive-date=25 May 2014}}</ref>

Hamilton's father bought him a [[radio-controlled car]] when he was five.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 - Radio 4 in Four - Race to the top: Lewis Hamilton|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/41TbhT9DRrd0cglSfjqWD4v/race-to-the-top-lewis-hamilton|access-date=26 October 2020|website=bbc.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006062640/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/41TbhT9DRrd0cglSfjqWD4v/race-to-the-top-lewis-hamilton|archive-date=6 October 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Hamilton finished second in the national [[British Radio Car Association|BRCA]] championship the following year against adult competition.<ref name="hamiltonf1fbio">{{cite web|title=Lewis Hamilton Biography|publisher=F1Fanatic.co.uk|year=2007|url=http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/f1-information/whos-who/whos-who-h/lewis-hamilton/|access-date=6 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307034157/http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/f1-information/whos-who/whos-who-h/lewis-hamilton/|archive-date=7 March 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> Being the only black child racing at his club, Hamilton was subjected to racist abuse.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=25 September 2016|title=Lewis Hamilton: I had a lot of bullying and racism at school|url=https://www.eurosport.com/formula-1/hamilton-i-had-a-lot-of-bullying-and-racism-at-school.-it-made-me-tougher_sto5873701/story.shtml|access-date=26 October 2020|website=Eurosport|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230619141216/https://www.eurosport.com/formula-1/hamilton-i-had-a-lot-of-bullying-and-racism-at-school.-it-made-me-tougher_sto5873701/story.shtml|archive-date=19 June 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> Hamilton's father bought him a [[Kart racing|go-kart]] for Christmas when he was six and promised to support his racing career as long as he worked hard at school.<ref name="nutsref">{{cite magazine|title=20 things you don't know about Lewis Hamilton|date=22 June 2007|magazine=[[Nuts (magazine)|Nuts]]}}</ref> To support his son, Hamilton's father took redundancy from his position as an [[Information Technology|IT]] manager and became a contractor, sometimes working up to four jobs at a time including employment as a [[Insulated glazing|double glazing]] salesman, dishwasher, and putting up signs for [[estate agent]]s,<ref name="benson">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/extra/c1nx5lutpg/The-real-Lewis-Hamilton-story |title=Challenger, champion, change-maker: The real Lewis Hamilton story |last=Benson |first=Andrew |website=[[bbc.co.uk]] |access-date=16 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116105558/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/extra/c1nx5lutpg/The-real-Lewis-Hamilton-story |archive-date=16 November 2020 |url-status =live}}</ref> while still attending his son's races.<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 May 2018|title='Thanks dad!' Lewis Hamilton reflects on his F1 championship journey|url=https://m.wheels24.co.za/FormulaOne/thanks-dad-lewis-hamilton-reflects-on-his-f1-championship-journey-20180522|access-date=26 October 2020|website=Wheels|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214184739/https://m.wheels24.co.za/FormulaOne/thanks-dad-lewis-hamilton-reflects-on-his-f1-championship-journey-20180522|archive-date=14 February 2019|url-status=live|first=Robin|last=Classen}}</ref> Hamilton's father later set up his own IT company.<ref name="observer">{{cite news|last=Owen|first=Oliver|title=The real deal|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jun/03/features.sportmonthly/print|date=3 June 2007|access-date=5 July 2007|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526045106/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jun/03/features.sportmonthly/print|archive-date=26 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> He continued to be Hamilton's manager until early 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/mar/14/lewis-hamilton-simon-fuller-xix-entertainment|title=Lewis Hamilton signs with Simon Fuller's XIX Entertainment|first=James|last=Callow|date=14 March 2011|access-date=22 March 2011|work=The Guardian|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213193515/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/mar/14/lewis-hamilton-simon-fuller-xix-entertainment|archive-date=13 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Words from Lewis Hamilton's father inspired Hungarian Grand Prix pace, says Wolff {{!}} Formula 1®|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hamiltons-father-inspired-hungarian-gp-pace-says-wolff.5pmzFBAUv7teU5vpgkGWvh.html|access-date=26 October 2020|website=Formula1.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805173148/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hamiltons-father-inspired-hungarian-gp-pace-says-wolff.5pmzFBAUv7teU5vpgkGWvh.html|archive-date=5 August 2019|url-status=live|date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

Hamilton was educated at [[The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School, Stevenage|The John Henry Newman School]], a [[Voluntary aided school|voluntary aided]] Catholic secondary school in Stevenage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/southerncounties/content/articles/2007/06/18/lewis_hamilton_facts_feature.shtml|title=Lewis Hamilton fact file|date=19 June 2007|work=[[BBC Southern Counties Radio|BBC Southern Counties]]|publisher=BBC|access-date=31 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202034208/https://www.bbc.co.uk/southerncounties/content/articles/2007/06/18/lewis_hamilton_facts_feature.shtml|archive-date=2 December 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> Hamilton has said that at the age of five he took up [[karate]] to defend himself as a result of bullying at school.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2316406/A-salute-to-the-real-Lewis-Hamilton.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2316406/A-salute-to-the-real-Lewis-Hamilton.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | first=Gareth A | last=Davies | title=A salute to the real Lewis Hamilton | date=5 July 2007}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He was also excluded from school for a period when he was mistakenly identified as having attacked a fellow student who was treated in hospital for his injuries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/10/lewis-hamilton-everything-id-suppressed-came-up-i-had-to-speak-out |title=Lewis Hamilton: 'Everything I'd suppressed came up – I had to speak out' |last=Younge |first=Gary |author-link=Gary Younge|date=10 July 2021 |website=[[theguardian.co.uk]] |access-date=10 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806063221/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/10/lewis-hamilton-everything-id-suppressed-came-up-i-had-to-speak-out |archive-date=6 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> In addition to racing, he played association football for his school team with eventual [[England national football team|England international]], [[Ashley Young]].<ref name=observer/> Hamilton, an [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] fan, said that if Formula One had not worked for him, he would have been a footballer or a cricketer, having played both for his school teams.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lewis Hamilton: I could have been a footballer|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2324465/Lewis-Hamilton-I-could-have-been-a-footballer.html|date=29 October 2007|work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=21 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419224359/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2324465/Lewis-Hamilton-I-could-have-been-a-footballer.html|archive-date=19 April 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2001, he began studies at Cambridge Arts and Sciences (CATS), a private [[sixth-form college]] in Cambridge.<ref>{{cite book|author=Hamilton, Lewis|title=Lewis Hamilton: My Story|year=2007|isbn=978-0-00-727005-7|publisher=HarperCollins}}</ref>