WATCH - Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton: no child should miss out on school to train
WATCH - Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton: no child should miss out on school to train
Four-time champion Lewis Hamilton says even the most talented young sportspeople need a back-up, and talks of his admiration for teachers despite his own difficult schooldays
Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has spoken of his huge admiration for teachers and has advised parents of talented young sportspeople never to let them neglect their education.
Speaking at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai, Hamilton recalled his own difficulties at school and clashes with teachers, but said he now appreciated the scale of the job they do.
“My admiration for teachers is so much greater than it was as a kid,” said Hamilton.
He often struggled at school, being bullied from the age of six and eventually discovering he was dyslexic, at the age of 17.
“I wasn’t a confident kid - I was very, very shy,” he said.
When his talent for karting emerged, it had an impact on his education: he would have to miss Friday afternoons at school to squeeze in practice, but his school did not support this and he would be hit with detention each Monday morning.
He said that missing so many lessons had a long-term impact, and that he is still “playing catch-up” with his learning.
“My schooling was difficult [but] now I have so much admiration for how difficult it is for a teacher,” he said, adding that he had forgiven those teachers who were less supportive of him.
Although the effort put into his racing career paid off - Hamilton has been world champion four times - he stressed that most talented young sportspeople do not make a career of their talent.
Most of the racing rivals of his youth “will be struggling compared to what their potential was”, because their education suffered in pursuit of the dream to be a racing driver.
“You shouldn’t be able to give a kid a racing licence without getting their [educational] qualifications,” he said, adding: “Just make sure they stay in school.”
Hamilton said he could not be a teacher, but that he would like to perform a mentoring role for talented young drivers who, like him, do not come from wealthy backgrounds usually associated with elite motorsport.
“I would like to find the next kid from nowhere…from under a rock somewhere,” he said.
Hamilton also reflected on the unlikely journey had had made. “I came from a council house in Stevenage and now I’m having lunch with the Queen,” he said.
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