Description
By: Andrew Vand De Burgt .
There has never before been a Formula 1 driver like newly crowned World Champion Lewis Hamilton — nobody else in the history of the sport has made such an impact in the space of just two seasons.
The statistics for Lewis's Formula 1 career are phenomenal. In 2007 he achieved a debut third place, nine consecutive podiums, four glorious wins and, of course, his remarkable runner-up position in the World Championship in his first season. In 2008 came four more wins, including stunning victories in the wet at Silverstone and Monaco, and a season-long battle for the World Championship, culminating in the most exciting championship finale in the sport's history at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
In those two seasons of Formula 1, Lewis has gone from being virtually an unknown to an international sporting icon. He has become an instant favourite across the globe thanks to his breathtaking overtaking manoeuvres, crowd-pleasing style, winning smile and genuine modesty.
But he isn't really an overnight sensation. Lewis's impressive climb through the ranks of motor racing to world title has been going on for the past decade, since McLaren took the gamble of offering its backing to a promising 13-year-old karter, a kid in a bright yellow helmet who was passing competitors where it didn't seem possible.
Packed with stunning photographs of Lewis's early career and a definitive record of his car racing results, this beautifully produced book charts his rise from the British cadet karting scene through Formula Renault, F3 and GP2 to the pinnacle of world motorsport. The thrilling 2008 Formula 1 season is chronicled race by race, through the highs, lows, celebrations and controversies, all the way to the intense drama of the finale in Brazil.
Author Andrew van de Burgt first saw Lewis Hamilton race in 2002, when the UK Formula Renault Championship supported the British Touring Car Championship, which he was covering for Autosport, the world's most influential motor racing magazine, van de Burgt has been following Lewis's career in every detail ever since.
