When announcing the New Year Honours List, the Queen did not forget to mention Lewis Hamilton somewhere along the way (alongside other British sportsmen like Olympic cycling champion Chris Hoy or double gold-winning swimmer Rebecca Adlington), therefore completing what has been an incredible season for the McLaren driver. When hearing the news, Hamilton admitted he feels privileged to receive the MBE and did not forget to honor his team for his great run in 2008.
“It is a massive honour and incredible privilege for me to receive an MBE from Her Majesty The Queen. It is the most amazing culmination to what has been quite a year for me. The support I have received from the UK as a whole has been fantastic and a huge motivation. It is something I am very appreciative of,” said Hamilton.
“This is not just a proud moment for me, but also for my family and every single person involved with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One team. I could not have achieved any of this without them. It has been an outstanding year for British sport as a whole, and it is great to see so many fellow sportsmen and women being honored today.”
“I am also very humbled to be included on the Honors list alongside all the members of the general public who have been recognized for their tireless work in such varied and worthwhile arenas. I am very fortunate to have been awarded for achieving my dream. It has required a lot of hard work and dedication, however it has been worth every single minute and I only hope that I can inspire young kids to do the same, whatever their dream may be,” added the British champion.
Hamilton won this year's Formula 1 title ahead of Ferrari's Felipe Massa after a thrilling finale in Brazil. He became the first black driver to win the F1 title in the history of the sport, while bringing Great Britain its first title since Damon Hill in 1996.
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