©Mercedes
Fortunately times change, albeit rarely as rapidly as we'd like in such cases. Over the course of the last decade, Hamilton has literally changed and ultimately become the public face of F1. And as he's matured and achieved greater success, he's become more thick-skinned and confident in proudly embracing those aspects of his heritage that once he might have shied away from. His love of music and fashion and his advocacy of environmental action and vegan nutrition are part of that process of staking out what it means to be Lewis Hamilton in 2020 and beyond; and if some people don't like it, then too bad. Similarly his decision to be more open about his faith has inevitably alienated some of those who don't share his beliefs; even among those who do, he can occasionally some across as condescendingly pious. But Hamilton's great hero Ayrton Senna was no less forthright about his Christian faith, and the sense that his driving was a God-given ability.
Rather than being seen as an inspirational rags to riches success story, Lewis Hamilton is often at the receiving end of small-minded criticism
Even so, the criticism still comes thick and fast. People take offence that a motor racing driver could possibly care for the environment, snipe about his appearance in the notorious 'tax dodging' Paradise Papers, and take his meat-free diet almost as a personal affront, arguing that Hamilton's many outside hobbies are taking the focus away from his day job - although such 'distractions' seem not to have got in the way of winning title after title. Yet many of those attacking Hamilton for his jet-setting, globe-trotting lifestyle wouldn't think twice before also lauding the likes of James Hunt, who was one of the biggest champagne-swilling playboys ever to compete in F1 (and there have been many over the years) but who remains a hugely popular figure credited for making F1 'fun'.
If not race, then maybe the big problem so many people have with Hamilton is class. Hunt came from a relatively privileged background, whereas the Hamiltons were a very plain working class family living in Stevenage. Anthony worked extra jobs to scrape together the money to fund his son's early racing career, only to be unfairly portrayed in later years as a prime example of a 'pushy dad'. It's a very different coming-of-age story from that of his contemporary and one-time friend Nico Rosberg, who could hardly have had more early advantages as the son of a former world champion; or to Max Verstappen, who practically grew up as a child in the F1 paddock at the feet of his father Jos. Yet rather than being seen as an inspirational rags-to-riches success story, Lewis Hamilton is often at the receiving end of small-minded criticism.
