Hamilton: Proud to fly the Union Jack but knighthood 'not on my mind'

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Lewis Hamilton joined F1's pantheon of all-time greats after sealing his fifth world title on Sunday, but the prospect of another title - one bestowed upon him by his country - isn't on his mind.

The Mercedes driver equaled on Sunday the championship tally of the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, but as the most successful British driver in motorsport history Hamilton is seen as a logical recipient of a knighthood in the future

While he feels proud to fly the Union Jack, and while 'Sir Lewis Hamilton' has a nice ring to it, the 33-year-old admits such an honour is not on his mind.

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"Honestly that is really not something that is on my mind, and not something I’m even contemplating," Hamilton said.

"I’ve been very fortunate and very grateful to have met the Queen on a couple of occasions, which I’m just grateful for. I’m very proud;

"I don’t know if you notice that sometimes, when I’m on the podium I look back and see the Union Jack and I’m very proud to raise that flag, and which I’ll continue to do so. And hopefully try to make more and more Brits proud."

Matching in the future the 91 wins and seven titles of the great Michael Schumacher is a tempting target for Hamilton to aim for.

"At the moment, a German has the most titles but I think I’m quite grateful and quite proud of the ones that we have as Brits and yeah, going to continue to try to raise the game," he concluded.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.