Lewis Hamilton

When Lewis Hamilton exploded onto the F1 scene in 2007, aged 22, he was a clear game changer. It wasn’t just his raw natural speed, or never-say-die driving style that rattled the cages of the more established drivers in the paddock, but his ability to soak up massive pressure while still delivering super-consistent results.

During his first year, Lewis tore-up and rewrote the rule book for new F1 drivers. Finishing on the podium in 12 out of 17 races – including four wins – he missed out on the drivers championship by a single point. The following year, Lewis went one better and grabbed the F1 drivers title, sealing the deal with a move on the last lap during the final race of the year.

Even when the car under him wasn’t making the grade, he was still able to squeeze every bhp out of it and finish at the sharp end. In his F1 career so far, Lewis has been on the podium at almost half of the races he’s started and has never finished lower than 5^th in the end of year standings.

This super-slick skill and huge speed is undoubtedly what helped him burn through the ranks of karting and junior formula categories. Lewis’ meteoric rise to F1 saw him win in virtually every series he entered - between 2000 and 2006 the young driver added the European Formula A Kart Championship, Formula Renault 2.0 UK, Bahrain Superprix, Formula 3 Euro Series, Masters of Formula 3, and the GP2 Series championships to his name.

Stepping away from McLaren for the first time since his pro career effectively began, 2013 is set to be huge year for Lewis. Rocking the M-claw alongside Nico Rosberg, Lewis joins the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, in pursuit of that elusive second world championship title.