Jed Doble tries not to fumble his questions as he sits down to speak with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 driver and Johnnie Walker endorser Lewis Hamilton in Kuala Lumpur before the Grand Prix there. Lewis shares his need for speed and love for travel.

I don’t usually get star-struck. I stress on the usually because I was almost speechless at a recent meeting with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton. Since joining his first F1 season in 2007 and winning his first Formula One World Championship in 2008, fans worldwide have admired Lewis as being one of the youngest and most successful drivers of his time. I met up with Lewis a few days before the F1 race in Kuala Lumpur for a short chat.

It all started with a remote-controlled car. Lewis Hamilton got his first taste for racing competition in 1991, after his father had bought him a radio-controlled car and encouraged him to race. He knew at age six that he wanted to be a race car driver. And from then on, his sights were set. “I’m 26 now but I’ve been racing since I was 8 years old. It started with remote controlled cars. I’ve been playing with cars even before I could talk or walk,” Lewis says. Then as a Christmas present at the age of six, his father bought him his first go-kart. Hamilton started karting in 1993 at the age of eight at the Rye House Kart Circuit and quickly began winning races. His first brush with F1 came at the age of ten when he approached McLaren F1 team boss Ron Dennis for an autograph, and told him that he wanted to one day race his cars. Dennis saw the passion in young Hamilton’s eyes and wrote in his autograph book: “Phone me in nine years, we’ll sort something out then.” In 1998, after Hamilton won an additional Super One series and his second British championship, Ron Dennis actually called him and delivered on his promise. Immediately after, Hamilton was signed to the McLaren driver development program. This contract included an option for Hamilton to get a future F1 seat, which would eventually make him the youngest driver to secure a contract, which later resulted in an F1 drive.
2007 marked Lewis Hamilton’s entry into Formula One. The freshman eventually finished second in championship points, with four wins and 12 podium appearances. The following year, after a tumultuous season, Lewis won his first Formula One championship at the age of 23. With his interesting and aggressive driving style, Lewis has drawn numerous fans as well as critics.

I have interviewed many celebrities in the past but this was the first time I experienced a real global celebrity. Of course in my head I had come up with the spiel and intro I would use when I met Lewis, but when I was finally face to face with him, my mind went blank. For a few seconds I had to compose myself, and it didn’t help that there were around 20 people, a video camera and spotlights all trained at us. I just shook his hand, said my name and dove into the first question. Luckily, Lewis was a talker. He answered my first question in length, giving me enough time to relax.

There are very few people who can really say that they knew at an early age what they want to do with their life, but Lewis is one of them. “I have dreamt of being a race driver since I was 6 years old. It was a dream at that time, you don’t really think it would be possible. When I started racing, it was just a fun hobby for me. Now it is a reality, it has turned into a business, a way of life. It is a dream come true.”
Lewis is greatly motivated by his desire to be the best, the desire to be better than all the other drivers he is racing against. “I race against world class drivers, world class athletes. I am doing what I love, it gets me in the zone. I try to be better than everyone else. To do this, I have to be fit, mentally prepared and ready for every eventuality on the track. It is this desire that gets me motivated to be the best.” Lewis admits that he can never be perfect, but it is the challenge to attain perfection that drives him to move forward. Having the opportunity to go to ‘work’ everyday and do what he loves is motivation in itself.

This being our travel issue, I couldn’t help but ask Lewis about his love for travel. There are now twenty Formula One destinations all over the world, from Shanghai to Monte Carlo to Sao Paulo. Lewis says that he doesn’t have a favorite destination as every location is different. “Every destination we go to has a different culture, they have different food, different people. I find it incredibly interesting to see and interact with the people in all of the destinations.” Does he have a favorite travel destination for holiday? “In the summer, when we have more time off, we usually go to Hawaii, that’s where my girlfriend is from, it’s comfortable, nice and always sunny.” How about a dream holiday destination? “Tahiti, I love the beach and the sun. I’ve always wanted to go and see the place.”

Lewis, together with fellow McLaren driver Jenson Button, is also an endorser for Johnnie Walker since joining the team in late 2006. Lewis says that he has had great interaction with the people from the brand. He has been to one of the breweries in Scotland and had an interesting time tasting the different whiskeys. “I’ve had the opportunity to go through a tasting of the different whiskeys to figure out what I really like. Now they know that I have a standing order for the Blue Label. Everyone I know loves Blue Label.”
Knowing one’s favorite drink is one thing, but drinking responsibly is another. Drinking and driving remains a massive issue and topic for Johnnie Walker around the world. When Lewis does his appearances for Johnnie Walker, the key message they try to give out is really to ‘Never drink and drive.’ Lewis says: “When you hear the words, it doesn’t really resonate, but it is really about responsibility. You can go out and enjoy with your friends but you should try to plan ahead. Always have a designated driver or book a taxi way in advance or get a driver. It may be a bit more expensive but everyone gets to enjoy themselves and gets home to bed safe and sound after.”
Lewis Hamilton epitomizes the Renaissance man. Driven by his passion for racing, he is now living his dream. And to the fullest I may add. The only thing I can say to Lewis is ‘Keep on walking.