Perhaps the youngest of our profiled drivers, Lewis Hamilton was born in 1985 and is just 22 years old. As with Jenson Button, he first started kart racing at the age of 8, and was hooked ever since.

At just 14 he embarked on the McLaren support programme. It is only this year that Hamilton has been selected as a McLaren Formula One championship driver. Before achieving this prestigious entitlement, he was extremely successful as a junior competitor, securing titles in European Formula 3 and GP2 amongst others.

Lewis Hamilton is definitely one to watch, as a budding young star about to wow the world with his sheer grit and talent.

He has already set a number of world records, and is the youngest driver to have led the World Championship. He is, it may be surprising to hear, the first black driver to participate in Formula One.

Breaking the mould and astonishing the world is what Hamilton does best.

Career highlights

• At this year’s Grand Prix he managed 3 wins

• He also achieved 5 wins at the GP2 series

• In 2002, he came third in the British Formula Renault - an amazing feat at just 17

• His debut in 1995 at the tender age of 10 was truly astounding, when he was named STP and ChampionSuper One British Champion (Cadet Class)

• As well as being a sporting star, Lewis is also a big fan of music - notably hip-hop and R’n’B, and also plays the guitar

• His grandparents were originally from Grenada in the Caribbean

• He was a karate black belt at the early age of 12

• He played football at school with Aston Villa’s Ashley Young