Lewis Hamilton achieved what he describes as his ‘greatest ever race,’ featuring 24 overtakes throughout the weekend, along with the honor of receiving honorary citizenship.

Imagine being so exceptional at your profession that you receive honorary citizenship for it.

This is exactly what happened to Lewis Hamilton, who now proudly identifies as half-Brazilian following one of the most unforgettable weekends in the history of Formula 1.

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The British driver clinched his first world title at Sao Paulo’s Interlagos Circuit in 2008, snatching it from home favorite Felipe Massa—a rival with whom he would later form a contentious relationship.

Unthinkably, this would make him a public enemy number one. However, Hamilton’s charisma and admiration for Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna endeared him to the Brazilian fans, and by 2021, he returned to Sao Paulo fully supported by them, albeit under challenging circumstances.

In one of the most tightly contested title races in F1 history, the Mercedes star arrived in Brazil trailing rival Max Verstappen by 19 points, with just four races left in the season.

Hamilton’s weekend started positively as he secured pole position in the sprint race. However, his hopes were dashed when he was disqualified due to an illegal rear wing.

“In that moment, my heart sank, » Hamilton recalled. « I realized I had to win every remaining race, and I thought it was over for my championship hopes.”

Hamilton’s resilience, one of his greatest F1 attributes, surfaced once again when he rebounded the next day, finishing from last to fifth position, gaining an astonishing 14 overtakes.

This impressive performance put him in fifth place for the feature race, but more drama awaited as Mercedes incurred an engine penalty, dropping him back five additional spots.

With over 200,000 fans cheering for him, hope filled the air for something special on Sunday, but few could anticipate the iconic outcome that would unfold.

By lap 19 of 71, Hamilton had already overtaken Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to claim second place, setting his sights on the relentless Verstappen ahead.

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It was not until lap 48 that Hamilton closed in on Verstappen, who put up a fierce defense as the pair flew down the main straight.

As they approached turn four, Verstappen forced Hamilton off the track, making it clear that the battle wouldn’t be a simple one.

Hamilton’s race engineer informed him: “Lewis, there’s apparently no investigation for running you off the track,” to which he sarcastically replied: “Of course not, of course.”

Hamilton attempted the same maneuver again a lap later, but was still unable to successfully overtake and had to recalibrate his strategy.

On lap 59, Hamilton executed his plan perfectly. He faked an attempt to overtake at turn one, causing Verstappen to lose his corner exit. Repositioning himself, Hamilton matched the racing line and eventually made his move at turn four with no chance for Verstappen to retaliate.

Hamilton recounted: « The first time I tried to pass him, Max braked deep and pushed me off track. After that, I had to gather myself. I thought, ‘I can’t let him do that again.’ The next time behind him, I faked him out into turn one. That made him defend tighter and I could maintain a better line. Coming out of the straight, I used that momentum to surge past him.”

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“It was spectacular and definitely one of the races I’m most proud of. Considering the challenges I faced, it serves as a reminder that one should never, ever give up.”

Hamilton won the race by an impressive 10 seconds, finishing the weekend with a remarkable total of 24 overtakes on a 20-car grid.

During the cooldown lap, he even grabbed a Brazilian flag from a steward to showcase his love for the nation while celebrating on the podium with his loyal fans.

Reflecting on the moment, Hamilton stated: “This was undoubtedly the best race of my life, perhaps the most significant of my career. I felt immense pride holding this flag on the podium. Growing up, I idolized Ayrton Senna, watching him carry the flag during races.”

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Although Hamilton ultimately lost the title to Verstappen in a controversial finish at Abu Dhabi, Brazil’s response was to offer him honorary citizenship as a gesture of appreciation for his contributions.

At the 2023 ceremony, he expressed, « I feel like now I’m one of you. I have so many cherished memories of Brazil, especially in 2021. The support I received from you all was among the most special moments of my life. I look forward to continuing this journey together.”

Following his greatest victory in 2021, Hamilton faced two challenging seasons, but he has once again proven himself, securing wins in Britain and Belgium as he reestablishes his competitive edge.

These victories come at a crucial time, as the dominance of Verstappen appears to be waning with the challengers closing the gap.

As the F1 season reaches its climax, Hamilton will be aiming for another victory before his much-publicized move to Ferrari in 2025. And should he achieve this in Brazil, Sao Paulo will undoubtedly be alive with unmatched energy.