I started this book and managed to read about 8 chapters but in the end it just wasn’t for me. It’s such a shame because I am such a fan of Sir Lewis Hamilton, his driving and his charity work and all the other things he does but doesn’t advertise them.
My husband is going to give the book a go so will be interested in his comments. You never know I may just come back to it at some point.
My thanks as always to NetGalley and publisher Pan Macmillan | Macmillan for the chance of the early read

With the Formula One season having just started last month this was the perfect read to get ready for what will be another exciting year in the sport.
The cover states that it’s “the definitive biography” and keeps that promise covering all aspects of Lewis Hamilton’s life, looking at more than just his rise and dominance of F1. His social justice and the impact of being the sport’s only black driver are also well covered with the book starting with his attendance at the 2021 Met Gala just a day after he was involved in a horrific accident at the Italian Grand Prix and his sponsorship of young black designers.
It covers his young days in karting, his relationship with his father Anthony, the rivalries with teammates and competitors from Fernando Alonso to Max Verstappen, his biggest races and evidence of his incredible sportsmanship and mental toughness. Hamilton’s iconic status is looked at and whether he is the GOAT, which is hard to argue with when the writer points out Ferrari’s stock price rose by more than 12% after his move to the team was reported.
It feels though like it’s aimed more at an American audience with analogies to US sportspeople and sporting moments and it jars that the writer has no new interviews with Hamilton but one soon forgets that amid the incredibly in-depth research and engrossing storytelling.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the oppotuinity to read this as an arc!

As a relatively new F1 fan I'm always looking for books about the drivers and sport as a whole. I found this very insightful to Lewis's early years in F1.

I did find sometimes the author rambled about other athletes outside of F1 for a bit too long for me personality and made me loose the context at times.

A biographical account of one of the greatest Formula One Drivers - Sir Lewis Hamilton. As a F1 fan I was so excited to get my hands on an arc copy of this book! I was, however, surprised to learn that Lewis wasn’t specifically interviewed in order for this book to be created - so it lacked that ‘personal touch’. Whilst I appreciate it is a biographical account, rather than an autobiographical - I still would have liked some input from Lewis to add something ‘new’ to a story of his life. It was, instead, a series of quotations the author developed upon. Think Wikipedia with commentary.

This was, however, extremely well written. Sawyer portrays a vivid picture of the scenes he writes and delivers an engaging narrative. We hear how about Lewis’ upbringing - from a humble start in life to becoming one of the most well known names in motorsport. His sheer determination to reach the top and be the best - to overcome the roadblocks and racial barriers he faced at every turn.

It was interesting to read about his lasting legacy, not only in formula one - but in the fashion industry, his advocations for social justice and diversity, and the way in which he became a positive influence for future generations.

I would highly reccomend this for anyone wanting to know more about the life and successes of Hamilton.

ARC copy provided by Pan Macmillan & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2 stars

I really thought when I decided to pick this one, this was an autobiography but turns out that although the research for this book was done amazingly, it didn't add to anything we -Sir Lewis fans- already know about him.
This is more for people who are curious and have no prior knowledge.
Still, it was nicely written.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Very interesting biography of one of the biggest names in racing of all time Lewis Hamilton. Pack full of info readers will enjoy getting an inside look at the superstar of racing