Three-time Grand Slam tennis winner Andy Murray believes Formulation 1 champion Lewis Hamilton deserves to hitch him as a British sporting knight.
“By way of what he has achieved as an athlete, in fact he deserves it,” Murray, 33, instructed Good Morning Britain.
“He is one of the profitable sportspeople within the nation’s historical past.”
Murray, given his knighthood within the New Yr Honours in 2017, added: “He helps some nice causes as nicely away from the racing observe, so sure I might say he positively deserves it when it comes to his success.”
Hamilton, 35, who was made an MBE in 2009, lately instructed the BBC’s Sally Nugent that it will be his “happiest day ever” if he bought the prospect to be honoured by the Queen once more.
Final week, 1996 British F1 champion Damon Hill mentioned that Hamilton had damaged down obstacles along with his achievements.
“The knighthood shall be seen as recognition of not simply his driving but in addition as a black driver that has bust one other door open for anybody who isn’t white,” mentioned the 60-year-old.
“He has destroyed the preconception that it may’t be finished, that there’s an space the place you can’t obtain one thing due to the color of your pores and skin. He has completely destroyed that notion.”
Hamilton’s exceptional statistics
The Englishman’s win on the Turkish Grand Prix on 15 November secured his seventh championship after earlier successes in 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
He already holds the document for many pole positions and earlier this season overtook German Michael Schumacher’s complete of 91 F1 race wins.
- This can be a fourth consecutive title for Hamilton (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020). The document of consecutive F1 championships belongs to Schumacher, who swept all earlier than him in securing 5 title wins on the bounce between 2000 and 2004.
- It is usually Hamilton’s sixth title in seven years. Hamilton’s dominance was interrupted by German Nico Rosberg – his Mercedes team-mate – pipping him to the championship by 5 factors in 2016.
- Hamilton has gained a grand prix when main from the primary lap to the final on 22 events – probably the most of any driver. Brazilian Ayrton Senna is second having finished so 19 occasions.
- Hamilton is in second place within the listing of drivers to have accomplished probably the most ‘grand slams’. He has achieved the uncommon feat of taking pole place, successful the race having led each single lap and claiming the quickest lap in six grands prix. British driver Jim Clark, who gained two titles within the Nineteen Sixties, has probably the most grand slams with eight.