Lewis Hamilton has had a remarkable year on and off the track as he celebrates his seventh world championship in Formula One. The Mercedes driver has won four consecutive Drivers’ championships and surpassed Michael Schumacher for most race wins in the history of the sport. Hamilton has also been a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, winning plaudits for his calls for racial equality. Going into this weekend’s Sports Personality of the Year awards, Hamilton is among the favourites to win.
It would be his second time winning the award, but despite this his view of the ceremony is far from positive.
The F1 star was also up for the award in 2018 when he revealed that he tries to avoid attending if possible.
Hamilton said: “It is awkward for me. Even when I am at the team factory, and in front of all the staff, it is not a comfortable place for me.
“It is that time of year where the season is over for me. If I can get away, I am gone.
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“Receiving an award in front of all those people is not really something I like. I avoid it if I can.”
When asked if he would attend the annual ceremony, Hamilton replied at the time: “It is most unlikely.”
Hamilton told BBC Breakfast recently that he was honoured to receive a congratulatory message from the Royal Family after his latest world title win.
He said: “I mean wow, to see the Royal Family do a personal post, that was one of the biggest honours I’ve experienced.”
But the Mercedes driver added that he doesn’t race for recognition.
He added: “To be honest I don’t do it for recognition, I have trained my whole life, I think the most important people when I got out of the race was facetiming my sister, brother, mum, niece and nephew.”
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Another sports star who has been nominated is boxer Tyson Fury, although he has said he wants to be removed from the list, even going so far as to threaten legal action if the BBC does not agree.
He told the Telegraph this week: “Honestly, it’s got nothing to do with the past, I just don’t need the gratification from the BBC.
“They shouldn’t have nominated me. I’m not interested in their awards or anything they have to say because it’s really unimportant to me.
“I’ve told them to take me off. I don’t want any part of it. I do not need a s*** award from a TV company to say ‘well done’ for what I’ve done this year. I know who I am, I know what I’ve done.”