The Formula One series makes its annual pilgrimage to the U.S. this weekend with a race in Austin. Lewis Hamilton is the man of the hour as he guns for his second straight world title and third overall. Hamilton needs to finish first with rival Sebastian Vettel in third place or lower to clinch the title. Hamilton has already won nine of 15 races this year, including four of the past five.
Hamilton, 30, is one of the most famous athletes on the planet and one of the best-paid, clocking in at No. 15 on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid athletes with earnings of $39 million. His global profile is soaring though as he climbs the ladder among the greatest drivers in the history of F1. His 42 career wins is tied for third all-time with Vettel. Hamilton was ranked as the most marketable athlete in the world in SportPro magazine’s 2014 annual take (he finished fifth this year).
Hamilton counts IWC and Bombardier as personal sponsors. His potential endorsement deals are limited to a degree because of the team sponsorships Mercedes has in place for Hamilton’s team. Sponsorship is the lifeblood of an F1 team where budgets can top $400 million. The Mercedes team’s primary sponsors include Allianz , Blackberry, Qualcomm QCOM +0.00% and UBS. A new addition this year is printing solutions firm Epson, which signed a multi-year sponsorship. “Formula One race events closely reflect Epson’s global footprint and will provide unique and highly visible platforms for showcasing its advanced technologies,” said the company in a release announcing the news.
Hamilton originally joined Mercedes for the 2013 season and signed a three-year contract extension in May. The deal kicks in with the 2016 season and could pay out more than $140 million, including bonuses. I caught up with Hamilton this week ahead of the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin.
Forbes: What is you favorite part about coming to the U.S. and the race in Austin?
Hamilton: I spend a lot of time in the U.S. There are a lot of great cities. Always great energy. People are really friendly. I love the food and the ambiance.
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Forbes: Formula One is wildly popular around globe, but has failed to gain traction in the U.S. Why do you think that is?
Hamilton: For me it is clear. Americans are passionate about sports, passionate about connecting with athletes. Watching Nascar or the NFL is a family-driven thing that you can watch every weekend. With Formula One we have one race here. You can’t get passionate about it. There is not an American driver, so they can’t connect with a driver from their own country. If Formula One was in America all the time, I think people would get connected to it and it would do really well. It’s like Halloween. You have one race and then you have to wait another year.
Forbes: You have a huge lead in the F1 standings. How do you avoid getting complacent?
Hamilton: I’ve never had to avoid being complacent in my life. I wasn’t raised like that. I think in life we all can be at blame for sometimes taking things for granted that we get travel to different countries and all these other little things. But generally I’m given thanks for the great lessons and experiences I’ve had.
Right now, I’m absolutely fully aware of where I am and what I am capable of in the car and what is possible. I also know that everyone else is pushing just as hard. I’ve got four races to go and I’ve got to do the job. It’s not going to come to me. It never has come to me. We came from nowhere as a family. We had no money. We had to take it, and every opportunity we got we took it. That is what I am about. I’m going to work as hard as I can to bring it home. This is my dream. I’m not going to let anything stand in my way.
Forbes: What would a third title mean for you?
Hamilton: It’s hard to say. I’m an emotional person, but I never show too much emotion on race weekend because you are in front of cameras. As a kid I always wanted to do something similar to Ayrton Senna. When I got the first championship, I thought wow, even if this is the only one I get I’m so grateful I’m here and I have won, but I’m going to work hard to get another. It was the same type of vibe with the second. Now with the third I feel very blessed to have a group of people that provided me with a car that I can show and exploit my abilities.
I’ve just matched and overtaken Ayrton with race wins and if I match him championship-wise, it is for sure going to be the most emotional moment of my life. I can’t spend any time imagining it. I just need to work towards it and hope it happens.
Forbes: For our readers who have not driven a car 200 mph, can you give a sense to how it feels to move that fast?
Hamilton: It is like the fastest roller coaster ride that you can possibly imagine. It is so fast and you are in control of it….most the time. The adrenaline rush is unbelievable.
Forbes: You are only 30, but you have been racing professionally half your life. Have you thought about how many more years you want to race for?
Hamilton: Most drivers go to their mid- to late-30s. I just signed another three-year deal with Mercedes, and I’ll be 34 when this contract comes to an end. I imagine I will not have had enough then and will sign another three-to-four-year deal. I kind of envision 37 or 38 being enough for me. I’ve already been racing for 22 years (Hamilton started driving when he was 8).
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