The seven-time Formula 1 champion Sir Lewis Hamilton takes the cover story of American Vanity Fair Magazine‘s September 2022 edition lensed by fashion photographer Adrienne Raquel. In charge of styling was Eric McNeal, with set design from Stefan Beckman, and production by Very Rare Productions. Beauty is work of hair stylist Lisa Torres, groomer Yuko, and manicurist Cheme Dolker. Tailoring by Claudia Diaz.
We limit ourselves the majority of the time. And where it really hit me hard is: We should never have to dim our light in order to make others feel… If anything, we should shine as bright as we can to liberate others to do the same. I live my life by that quote. For so long in my life, I felt like I was dimming my light because I felt uncomfortable.
Look, when I was at school, I was dyslexic and struggling like hell, and one of the only few Black kids in my school, being put in the lowest classes and never given a chance to progress or even helped to progress. Teachers were telling me, ‘You’re never going to be nothing.’ I remember being behind the shed, in tears, like, ‘I’m not going to be anything.’ And believing it for a split second.
I couldn’t be Superman, but that was like your cloak. When I got in the car, I put a helmet on, and I wasn’t seen any different. You can’t see my skin color. You just see me as a driver. And I was able to do things that others weren’t able to do. And it didn’t matter how big the other kids were, I could still beat them. – Lewis Hamilton
Photography by Adrienne Raquel for Vanity Fair – read more at vanityfair.com
