Lewis Hamilton is inarguably the biggest name in Formula 1 since Michael Schumacher. The 39-year-old has seven world titles under his belt and needs just one more to stand alone as the most successful driver in F1 history.

But behind the helmet and away from the roar of the engines there’s multi-faceted individual whose life extends far beyond the confines of the racetrack. As the seven-time champion prepares to wave goodbye to Mercedes for pastures new at Ferrari next season, Express Sport delves into the behind the scenes details of Hamilton’s life that fans tend not to see.

From whirlwind romances, to his family ties and a bitter feud that threatened to derail his F1 career, here’s what life has been like for the Brit outside of F1.

Family

Hamilton’s parents separated when he was two, and from the age of 12, Hamilton lived with his dad Anthony – who later managed his racing career – stepmother Linda, and half-brother Nicolas, who is also a professional racing driver. Prior to that he’d lived with his mother, Carmen, and his two half-sisters Nicola and Samantha.

Anthony had a major impact on his son’s professional future. He bought Lewis a go-kart for Christmas when he was six years old after realising his racing abilities, and juggled up to four jobs at a time to help support his burgeoning career.

Lewis began karting at the age of eight, and two years later became the youngest driver to win the British cadet karting championship. He quickly rose up through the ranks and turned pro in 2001, before eventually reaching Formula 1 in 2007.

Anthony, who had been by Lewis’ side throughout his meteoric rise, subsequently took on the role of his son’s racing manager. A few years later, however, their partnership would end in tears.

Sacking his father

Hamilton won his first F1 title in 2008 – becoming the youngest champion in the competition’s history aged 23 – under his father’s tutelage. But a major technical regulation change in 2009 slowed his McLaren down considerably, sparking a dip in form.

In 2010 he shockingly parted ways with his father, a move which led to the pair not speaking for a while. In an interview with the Sunday Mirror back in 2012, Anthony said his son’s decision left him “shocked” and “devastated” and that he “didn’t deal with it very well.”

“It was a nightmare,” he said. “It was like something had died. I was shocked, devastated. When he said he no longer wanted me as manager it came completely out of the blue because we hadn’t fallen out. I didn’t get angry – but I didn’t deal with it very well. I’d been at his side from his first remote-control car race when he was five. Every week, week-in week-out, I’d put my life into it. That day was a life-changing experience.”

Discussing the situation on the On Purpose podcast, Lewis explained: “Me and my dad bumped heads at one stage. I really just wanted him to be my dad. Let’s go and have fun, let’s laugh. We hadn’t had that for a long, long time. I decided to part ways with my dad to make decisions for myself. There was a period where we spoke less.”

Further tension

During a 2013 legal battle with former F1 star Paul Di Resta – who Hamilton has also managed – it was claimed that Lewis had promised to give Anthony up to £2.5million ($4million) as part of their split. Anthony subsequently revealed that he’d never asked his son for any money, but was left confused by Lewis’ decision to reneg on his promise.

“I never asked Lewis for a penny. When he won the World Championship in 2008, he thanked me and that was all I needed for 18 years of graft,” Anthony said.

The pair have since reconciled, though Anthony has played no further part in his son’s career other than in a supportive capacity. Speaking on social media in 2020, Lewis wrote: “My dad and I haven’t had the easiest of relationships… Over time, we lost that father-son bond and it has been something we have both wanted back for so long. The past couple years we’ve been growing closer.”

In a further sign of their current relationship, Lewis was spotted weeping into his father’s should after taking the chequered flag at Silverstone earlier this year for his first Grand Prix win since 2021. Lewis said afterwards: “A pressure relief valve, that’s all that was. You know something, it’s always good to be there isn’t it.”

Relationships

While Hamilton’s romantic life has often been subject to intense media scrutiny, he has generally kept it private. His most high-profile relationship was with Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, which lasted on and off for eight years until 2015.

It’s understood that the Mercedes driver is currently single, but has been linked to several high-profile names over the years including Nicki Minaj, Kendall Jenner, Rita Ora and Rihanna. In 2023 he was romantically linked to singer Shakira following her split from husband and former Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique.

They were snapped going out for dinner and in a speedboat together, though nothing concrete ever came from their alleged entanglement.

Kanye West’s ex

More recently, Hamilton has been linked to model Juliana Nalu, who dated rapper Kanye West for a period. The pair have been spotted together at several events, and during a New Year’s party Lewis was seen reaching for Juliana’s hand.

However, it’s understood the two have since gone their separate ways, with Hamilton reportedly being spotted on celebrity dating app Raya.