Lewis Hamilton talks about struggling at school and his dyslexia - Develop Us (2024)

FAQs

Are any F1 drivers dyslexic? ›

Stewart isn't alone in being a successful racing driver who is also dyslexic. 1992 Formula One world champion Nigel Mansell diagnosed with dyslexia along with his son Greg, when Mansell was in his early 40s, after his F1 career had ended.

Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton was mistakenly expelled from secondary school after a fellow pupil was attacked and needed hospital treatment.

Hamilton was educated at The John Henry Newman School, a voluntary aided Catholic secondary school in Stevenage. Hamilton has said that at the age of five he took up karate to defend himself as a result of bullying at school.

Racing legend Lewis Hamilton didn't discover he was dyslexic until he was 17. Lewis says, “'I still have failures today and you're constantly going to be learning so don't be phased by that. It's a part of the necessary journey to success.

Some people with dyslexia are superior at driving and even take jobs such as truck driving. However, there are some dyslexics who find it difficult to drive. Tom is presented as a composite character of such a person. For those people who can drive but have severe difficulty reading, the driver's test is a key barrier.

It was like 'I really just want you to be my dad, let's go and have fun, let's go and have a laugh'. “We hadn't had that for a long, long time. So, eventually, I decided to part ways from my dad and I was like, 'I'm gonna start making some of the decisions for myself and the mistakes that I'm gonna need to make'.”

Lewis fired Anthony as his manager in 2010

But by 2010, Lewis had fired his father right before the Bahrain Grand Prix, according to the Daily Mail. Lewis opened up about the decision to let his father go on the On Purpose podcast in January 2023.

Hamilton finished eighth but was later demoted to 16th when he was hit with a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit-lane. “Lewis was on the inside, a little bit out of control, but I guess they won't decide anything, because he is not Spanish,” said Alonso, 43.

Lewis Hamilton says he proved the doubters wrong by succeeding on a vegan diet. Lewis Hamilton became a vegan in 2017 despite warnings from his doctors. Since then, he's won four championships and said his energy levels have improved. Hamilton is just one pro athlete switching to a plant-based diet and making it work.

There are only three drivers with children in the current Formula 1 field. Sergio Perez has four children, Niko Hulkenberg has one and Kevin Magnussen has two. Williams team principal James Vowles recently welcomed his first child at the age of 44.

What age do F1 drivers retire? ›

The age at which Formula 1 drivers retire can vary greatly depending on individual circ*mstances, performance, and personal choices. Some drivers retire relatively young in their late 30s or early 40s, while others continue racing into their late 40s or even early 50s.

Jackie Stewart would finally receive his own diagnosis of something called dyslexia when he was forty-one years of age. It was at his son's Swiss school.

Dyslexia does not mean that you cannot learn to drive. You may take longer to learn than others, need to be taught in a slightly different way and may need to repeat the test, but you will get there. There are resources for driving instructors on the BDA website to help them with appropriate teaching methods.

Behind the wheel in a 130-degree NASCAR co*ckpit, Williams has found a meaningful space that provides him a platform to encourage others living with autism to dream big. Yet, Williams, who is Black, is doing so in a world that has long been largely dominated by white drivers and owners.

So, to answer the question 'do F1 drivers go to school? ' –yes, but their education might look a bit different from traditional schooling. However, most drivers will attend a 'regular' primary and secondary school.