Lewis Hamilton has won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone a record seven times, and now the circuit is honoring its local hero by renaming the pit straight in his honor.
Ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, David Coulthard, president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), owners of Silverstone, announced that the International Pit Straight would now be known as the Hamilton Straight.
“It is the first time in Silverstone history that a portion of the circuit has been named after an individual,” he said.
“Lewis has become a huge part of this history and the directors of the Club and I felt there was no better way to mark this than to rename the iconic pits directly in recognition of their record achievements.”
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The 2020 season saw Hamilton set new standards in F1, with the 35-year-old matching and then surpassing Michael Schumacher’s 91 wins to set a new benchmark for the most wins in F1 history. He later tied the German’s record of seven world championship titles.
The venue on the Silverstone track that bears Hamilton’s name has become synonymous with his victory celebrations in recent years as local fans spill onto the track to circle the podium. Hamilton has been actively engaged with them, coming to celebrate ‘collective surfing’.