Gracious in defeat: the Christian faith of Lewis Hamilton
There are times when, even if a particular sport is not our thing, it’s impossible to escape the fanfare of a certain event. Whether its newspaper headlines, Twitter, workplace banter, or even sermons, it’s just everywhere.
We’ve seen this a few times this year. In July, England almost self-combusted as the men’s football team made history by reaching a major tournament final. In September, we collectively crowned a new tennis hero in Emma Raducanu after her incredible US Open victory. And last weekend, the country rallied behind Lewis Hamilton in his attempt to win a record-
It’s probably not escaped your notice that Hamilton controversially lost to rival Max Verstappen on Sunday. Hamilton had a seemingly unassailable lead with five laps to go when a crash elsewhere on the track led to the race being restarted for one final lap, allowing Verstappen to make up the deficit. The break enabled the Dutchman to get new tyres, which arguable gave him an edge, and he overtook Hamilton to win not just the race but the championship.
For those unfamiliar to F1, a football analogy by Gary Lineker may help. He tweeted: “Imagine Man City and Liverpool going toe to toe for the title. On the last day of the season they meet & City are 3 up with just minutes to go. The referee decides it would be more exciting to have a penalty shootout. What’s more the City players have to be barefooted. That’s @F1.”
Hamilton stunned the watching world. Aren’t we as Christians all called to do that?
Sounds horribly unfair, doesn’t it? Its little wonder, then, that there has been much condemnation of the result — but not from Hamilton, who has remained remarkably magnanimous in defeat. “Firstly, congratulations to Max and his team,” he said in the post-race interview. Observers were perhaps waiting for anger and blame, but it didn’t come. “I hope everyone stays safe in the pandemic and has a good Christmas during this time and we’ll see about next year,” continued Hamilton, who — along with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff — congratulated Verstappen in person.
Hamilton has drawn widespread praise, not just for his sporting endeavours but also his wider work in society, including promoting racial equality and advocating for the rights of women and the LQBTQ+ community. His gracious reaction to defeat has brought further commendation, as well as some surprise and disbelief — perhaps because we’re tempted to view elite athletes as automatically wired to win at all costs, including pouncing upon any hint of injustice that gets in the way.
Prayer, church and tattoos
But when it comes to Lewis Hamilton, should we be surprised at this? In 2018, an interview he gave with a Formula One podcast revealed a healthy perspective that sheds light on his post-race comments: “I love racing,” he said, before adding that while dreams and ambitions can be worth dying for, “I wouldn’t say F1 is worth dying for.” He talks about being greatly moved by a fan whose recovery from cancer was inspired by his racing.
The interview was also notable for Hamilton’s comments on faith. He grew up a Catholic. “God has his hand over me,” he shared, reflecting on the dangers his profession brings. He also talked about praying regularly and attending church: “I go with a couple of my close friends,” he said. “We meet, we go for breakfast and then we go to church together. We leave, most often, feeling enlightened and empowered, it’s like a re-centring.” He adds that entering the world of Formula One helped him to be more open about his faith.
The permanence of faith in Hamilton’s life is also reflected in his tattoos. He has “God is love” written on his neck, “Faith” and “Family” on his shoulders and a cross on his back. A tattoo on his chest featuring a compass also relates to his faith. “I’ll leave church on a Sunday thinking… I’ve really gained my direction where to go,” he says. “Church is really my compass.”
Gracious in defeat: the Christian faith of Lewis Hamilton
There are times when, even if a particular sport is not our thing, it’s impossible to escape the fanfare of a certain event. Whether its newspaper headlines, Twitter, workplace banter, or even sermons, it’s just everywhere.
We’ve seen this a few times this year. In July, England almost self-combusted as the men’s football team made history by reaching a major tournament final. In September, we collectively crowned a new tennis hero in Emma Raducanu after her incredible US Open victory. And last weekend, the country rallied behind Lewis Hamilton in his attempt to win a record-
It’s probably not escaped your notice that Hamilton controversially lost to rival Max Verstappen on Sunday. Hamilton had a seemingly unassailable lead with five laps to go when a crash elsewhere on the track led to the race being restarted for one final lap, allowing Verstappen to make up the deficit. The break enabled the Dutchman to get new tyres, which arguable gave him an edge, and he overtook Hamilton to win not just the race but the championship.
For those unfamiliar to F1, a football analogy by Gary Lineker may help. He tweeted: “Imagine Man City and Liverpool going toe to toe for the title. On the last day of the season they meet & City are 3 up with just minutes to go. The referee decides it would be more exciting to have a penalty shootout. What’s more the City players have to be barefooted. That’s @F1.”
Hamilton stunned the watching world. Aren’t we as Christians all called to do that?
Sounds horribly unfair, doesn’t it? Its little wonder, then, that there has been much condemnation of the result — but not from Hamilton, who has remained remarkably magnanimous in defeat. “Firstly, congratulations to Max and his team,” he said in the post-race interview. Observers were perhaps waiting for anger and blame, but it didn’t come. “I hope everyone stays safe in the pandemic and has a good Christmas during this time and we’ll see about next year,” continued Hamilton, who — along with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff — congratulated Verstappen in person.
Hamilton has drawn widespread praise, not just for his sporting endeavours but also his wider work in society, including promoting racial equality and advocating for the rights of women and the LQBTQ+ community. His gracious reaction to defeat has brought further commendation, as well as some surprise and disbelief — perhaps because we’re tempted to view elite athletes as automatically wired to win at all costs, including pouncing upon any hint of injustice that gets in the way.
Prayer, church and tattoos
But when it comes to Lewis Hamilton, should we be surprised at this? In 2018, an interview he gave with a Formula One podcast revealed a healthy perspective that sheds light on his post-race comments: “I love racing,” he said, before adding that while dreams and ambitions can be worth dying for, “I wouldn’t say F1 is worth dying for.” He talks about being greatly moved by a fan whose recovery from cancer was inspired by his racing.
The interview was also notable for Hamilton’s comments on faith. He grew up a Catholic. “God has his hand over me,” he shared, reflecting on the dangers his profession brings. He also talked about praying regularly and attending church: “I go with a couple of my close friends,” he said. “We meet, we go for breakfast and then we go to church together. We leave, most often, feeling enlightened and empowered, it’s like a re-centring.” He adds that entering the world of Formula One helped him to be more open about his faith.
The permanence of faith in Hamilton’s life is also reflected in his tattoos. He has “God is love” written on his neck, “Faith” and “Family” on his shoulders and a cross on his back. A tattoo on his chest featuring a compass also relates to his faith. “I’ll leave church on a Sunday thinking… I’ve really gained my direction where to go,” he says. “Church is really my compass.”
Gracious in defeat: the Christian faith of Lewis Hamilton
There are times when, even if a particular sport is not our thing, it’s impossible to escape the fanfare of a certain event. Whether its newspaper headlines, Twitter, workplace banter, or even sermons, it’s just everywhere.
We’ve seen this a few times this year. In July, England almost self-combusted as the men’s football team made history by reaching a major tournament final. In September, we collectively crowned a new tennis hero in Emma Raducanu after her incredible US Open victory. And last weekend, the country rallied behind Lewis Hamilton in his attempt to win a record-
It’s probably not escaped your notice that Hamilton controversially lost to rival Max Verstappen on Sunday. Hamilton had a seemingly unassailable lead with five laps to go when a crash elsewhere on the track led to the race being restarted for one final lap, allowing Verstappen to make up the deficit. The break enabled the Dutchman to get new tyres, which arguable gave him an edge, and he overtook Hamilton to win not just the race but the championship.
For those unfamiliar to F1, a football analogy by Gary Lineker may help. He tweeted: “Imagine Man City and Liverpool going toe to toe for the title. On the last day of the season they meet & City are 3 up with just minutes to go. The referee decides it would be more exciting to have a penalty shootout. What’s more the City players have to be barefooted. That’s @F1.”
Hamilton stunned the watching world. Aren’t we as Christians all called to do that?
Sounds horribly unfair, doesn’t it? Its little wonder, then, that there has been much condemnation of the result — but not from Hamilton, who has remained remarkably magnanimous in defeat. “Firstly, congratulations to Max and his team,” he said in the post-race interview. Observers were perhaps waiting for anger and blame, but it didn’t come. “I hope everyone stays safe in the pandemic and has a good Christmas during this time and we’ll see about next year,” continued Hamilton, who — along with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff — congratulated Verstappen in person.
Hamilton has drawn widespread praise, not just for his sporting endeavours but also his wider work in society, including promoting racial equality and advocating for the rights of women and the LQBTQ+ community. His gracious reaction to defeat has brought further commendation, as well as some surprise and disbelief — perhaps because we’re tempted to view elite athletes as automatically wired to win at all costs, including pouncing upon any hint of injustice that gets in the way.
Prayer, church and tattoos
But when it comes to Lewis Hamilton, should we be surprised at this? In 2018, an interview he gave with a Formula One podcast revealed a healthy perspective that sheds light on his post-race comments: “I love racing,” he said, before adding that while dreams and ambitions can be worth dying for, “I wouldn’t say F1 is worth dying for.” He talks about being greatly moved by a fan whose recovery from cancer was inspired by his racing.
The interview was also notable for Hamilton’s comments on faith. He grew up a Catholic. “God has his hand over me,” he shared, reflecting on the dangers his profession brings. He also talked about praying regularly and attending church: “I go with a couple of my close friends,” he said. “We meet, we go for breakfast and then we go to church together. We leave, most often, feeling enlightened and empowered, it’s like a re-centring.” He adds that entering the world of Formula One helped him to be more open about his faith.
The permanence of faith in Hamilton’s life is also reflected in his tattoos. He has “God is love” written on his neck, “Faith” and “Family” on his shoulders and a cross on his back. A tattoo on his chest featuring a compass also relates to his faith. “I’ll leave church on a Sunday thinking… I’ve really gained my direction where to go,” he says. “Church is really my compass.”
