一級方程式世界冠軍劉易斯·漢密爾頓的名字出現在英國女王2021年新年榮譽名單上，並且獲得爵士頭銜，該名單已於周三晚間正式公布。這意味著他將被正式稱為劉易斯·漢密爾頓爵士。在2020年年底，他與麥可·舒馬赫所創造的七項F1世界錦標賽冠軍的紀錄相媲美，並超過了德國人的比賽勝利記錄。
他還開展了一項運動，以增加體育運動的多樣性，並經常公開反對社會上的種族主義，儘管他的榮譽是為賽車運動服務。在漢密爾頓第一次獲得世錦賽冠軍的整整12年後，他成為英國最優秀的車隊成員之一，並致力於為賽車行業服務。
漢密爾頓是繼傑克·布拉漢姆和傑基·斯圖爾特之後第三個獲得爵士頭銜的F1世界冠軍，同時這也是斯特林·莫斯的榮譽。然而，漢密爾頓是第一個在還是現役車手的情況下獲得這一身份的人。
此外，車手和陸地速度紀錄打破者亨利·塞格雷夫和麥爾肯·坎貝爾在第二次世界大戰前都被授予爵士稱謂。除了車手，威廉士F1車隊的創始人弗蘭克·威廉士和派屈克·海德也分別在1999年和2015年獲得爵士頭銜。
儘管漢密爾頓不是現代最年輕的運動員，但是他僅35歲就被授予爵士頭銜。網球明星安迪·穆雷第二次獲得溫布爾登冠軍後，在2017年新年榮譽榜上獲得提名時，他才29歲。2005年，水手埃倫·麥克阿瑟28歲時被任命為女爵士，相當於一名騎士。
新任F1執行長斯特凡諾·多梅尼卡利在一月份正式開始工作後，向漢密爾頓致敬。多梅尼卡利說：「劉易斯是我們賽車運動中真正的天才，他在賽車行業內外的影響都是巨大的。他所取得的成就是驚人的，甚至還有更多。我們所有人都祝賀他，他的成就當之無愧，期待著他在2021年能有更多的輝煌。」
F1梅賽德斯車隊負責人託託·沃爾夫評論道：「劉易斯是有史以來最偉大的賽車手之一，也是他那個時代最成功的英國運動員之一。在世界各地，他一直因為他的體育成就而受到讚譽；今年，他把自己在賽道上的卓越表現與反對歧視的強大聲音結合起來。從各個方面來說，他都在2020年取得了領先地位。有關他將獲得爵士頭銜的消息表明，他在賽車運動事業中取得的空前成功，如今正得到人們的認可。英國可以為擁有一位像劉易斯·漢密爾頓爵士那樣的冠軍和大使感到非常自豪。」
本月早些時候，漢密爾頓第二次被評為BBC年度體壇風雲人物，此前他曾在2014年獲得過該獎項。他還獲得了2020年勞瑞斯世界體育年度最佳運動員獎，並與足球運動員萊昂內爾·梅西分享了這一獎項。
外文
Hamilton knighted in Queen’s New Year Honours list
Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has received a knighthood in the United Kingdom Queen’s 2021 New Year Honours list, which was officially announced on Wednesday evening.The knighthood – which means he will be known formally as Sir Lewis Hamilton – has been awarded at the end of a year that saw him match Michael Schumacher’s record of seven F1 World Championship titles and surpass the German's race wins tally.
He has also pursued a campaign to increase diversity in the sport and frequently spoken out against racism in society, although the honour is for his services to motorsports. It comes exactly 12 years after Hamilton, following his first World Championship title, became a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to motor racing.
Hamilton is the third F1 World Champion to receive a knighthood, following Jack Brabham (in 1978) and Jackie Stewart (2001), while the honour also went to Stirling Moss (2000). However, Hamilton is the first to gain this status while still an active driver.In addition, racers and land speed record breakers Henry Segrave (1929) and Malcolm Campbell (1931) were both knighted before World War II.Aside from drivers, Williams F1 team founders Frank Williams and Patrick Head have also received knighthoods, in 1999 and 2015 respectively.
Hamilton has been awarded a knighthood at the age of just 35, although he is not the youngest sportsman to be recognised in the modern era. Tennis star Andy Murray was 29 when he was named in the 2017 New Year Honours list, following his second Wimbledon victory, while cyclists Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy were both 32. Sailor Ellen MacArthur was 28 when she was made a dame, the equivalent of a knighthood, in 2005.
New F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who officially starts work in January, has paid tribute to Hamilton.「Lewis is a true giant of our sport and his influence is huge both in and out of a car,」 said Domenicali. 「What he has achieved is phenomenal with still more to come.「All of us at F1 congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition of his achievements and look forward to seeing more of his brilliance in 2021.」
Mercedes-Benz AMG F1 team principal Toto Wolff commented: "Lewis is one of the very greatest racing drivers of all time and the most successful British sportsperson of his era. Around the world, he has long been recognised for his sporting achievement; this year, he combined his excellence on the track with a powerful voice to fight discrimination. In every sense, he led the way in 2020.
"The news that he is to receive a knighthood shows that he is now receiving the recognition he has earned during a career of unparalleled success in motorsport. The UK can be very proud to have a champion and ambassador of the calibre of Sir Lewis Hamilton."
Earlier this month Hamilton received recognition from the British public when he was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year for a second time, having previously won the prestigious award in 2014.He also won the 2020 Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year prize, sharing it with footballer Lionel Messi.