Lewis Hamilton Pays Emotional Tribute to Brother's First Podium

Lewis Hamilton has paid an emotional tribute to his brother, Nicolas Hamilton, after the British Touring Car Championship driver achieved the first podium finish of his professional motorsport career. The landmark moment came at Snetterton, just hours after Lewis secured second place for Ferrari in the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix.

Nicolas delivered one of the most significant achievements of his racing journey by winning the Jack Sears Trophy after a strong weekend with EXCELR8 Motorsport and Hyundai machinery. The result earned him the opportunity to stand on a podium for the first time since beginning his competitive racing career.

For Lewis, the achievement carried a meaning that extended far beyond the trophy itself. In a social media post, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion expressed immense pride in seeing years of determination and perseverance finally rewarded.

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"I could not be more proud of my brother Nicolas Hamilton. Seeing the passion and emotion on his face as he stood on his first podium was such a beautiful moment. For us both to be on podiums on the same day was major. I called him the second the race ended," Lewis wrote on Instagram.

Nicolas' story has become one of the most inspiring narratives in modern motorsport. The British driver competes while living with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects movement and coordination. Those challenges have made his path into professional racing considerably more demanding than that faced by most drivers.

Lewis highlighted the broader challenges surrounding accessibility within motorsport, arguing that opportunities for people with disabilities remain extremely limited despite growing awareness across the sporting world.

"Motorsport is not built to be inclusive. There is little to no access for people with disabilities, and no support systems to level the playing field. Despite the barriers and the people who told him it wasn't possible, he never stopped. He fought. He adapted. He proved them wrong," Lewis said.

For Nicolas, winning the Jack Sears Trophy represented validation for years of hard work and perseverance. Fighting back tears while collecting the award, he admitted that he never expected to leave Snetterton as a category winner.

"I've always said that I wanted to win a trophy, but I didn't want to just be gifted it. This weekend I feel like I earned it and deserved it," Nicolas said.

The EXCELR8 Motorsport driver described the achievement as the fulfilment of a childhood dream. He reflected on a time when many doubted he would ever walk, let alone compete at a professional level in British motorsport.

"I could happily hang up my boots, gloves and helmet after this weekend knowing that I have achieved the dream of a little boy who was told he would never walk. What I've achieved is massive," he added.

The achievement was also recognised by the BTCC itself, which described the moment as one of the championship's most memorable achievements in recent history. Surrounded on the podium by multiple BTCC champions, Nicolas' success transcended racing results alone. While Lewis Hamilton's podium in Montreal represented his strongest Ferrari result to date, witnessing his brother stand on a podium for the first time may ultimately have been the more meaningful victory on a deeply personal level.