“Nelson Mandela [sic] once said, We were not born with hate in our hearts, it’s something learnt over time,” Lewis Hamilton wrote in an Instagram post to shut his critics after a Qualifying failure at the 2018 German GP weekend. The 7-time champion has always considered Mandela his inspiration and is the only F1 driver to meet the Nobel Peace Prize winner on his 90th birthday. Even though it has been 16 years since then, Hamilton still considers Mandela his “God”.
In mid-April, RIMOWA, a luxury baggage manufacturer acquired for $15.8 Billion by LMVH, launched its ‘Mint and Papaya’ collection. Brand Ambassadors Lewis Hamilton and Blackpink’s Rosé graced the event in South Korea’s capital, Seoul. The duo also interviewed each other in a sit-down RIMOWA video, which has just been released on YouTube.
The British driver and the New Zealand-South Korean Singer bonded over their pet dogs, shared their skincare routines, and much more. In one segment, Rosé revealed how her sister is the ‘most inspiring person in her life’. When it was Lewis Hamilton’s turn to share, he revealed how meeting Nelson Mandela changed his life.
“I think one of the most amazing moments for me was meeting Nelson Mandela,” Hamilton told Rose. “His story of, you know, the activism and going to prison for 26 years and then coming out, just the grace and humility he had. He did so much for kids. For me, he’s just like the God.”
Lewis Hamilton has maintained Nelson Mandela’s “God” status whenever he talks about his idol. 1 year ago, the Mercedes driver revealed how meeting the former South African president was the “most impactful day” of his life.
How Nelson Mandela’s “Aura” changed Lewis Hamilton forever
5 years before he died in 2013 of a respiratory disease, Nelson Mandela hosted a grand 90th birthday celebration. Lewis Hamilton, who was in his second year in F1 in 2008, was one of the fortunate invitees alongside the likes of Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, and many others.
“I went to Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday in London and I was sat on his table in this huge room full of famous people,” Hamilton said in 2023, recalling the life-changing meeting. “I walked into the room and met him and he sat in his chair and it was like walking into meet God, or like a king, in a silk shirt. His aura was something. You could see his aura, his smile. He was beaming. That was the most…probably the most impactful day for me.”
In the years after that, Hamilton picked up the pace of his fight against discrimination and promoted inclusivity. In January 2024, Brazilian soccer club Vasco da Gama honored the 7-time champion alongside his idol Mandela and Martin Luther King. The world came round for F1’s most beloved driver. An inspiring story indeed.