Hamilton’s drive in Qatar’s Grand Prix this weekend will be his penultimate one in a Mercedes car before switching spots for Ferrari.

One knighthood, six World Championships, 84 wins, and 153 podiums. Objectively, Lewis Hamilton has conquered the world in his 12 seasons at Mercedes.

And on rare occasions when he was asked about how his time with the Brackley-based constructor will be remembered, the discussion transcends accolades.

“I get asked about legacy a lot,” he quipped, when asked by Doha News in a public interaction about his stint since 2013. “But honestly, I don’t really think about that. I’ve tried to hold the brand to the highest level throughout the years and everything that I do hopefully has reflected the brand.”

As Hamilton gets ready for this weekend’s 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, there’s added significance: it will be his penultimate race in a Mercedes driving suit, on a circuit he became the first to win an F1 race in 2022.

“I hope that in 10 or 20 years, they look back and say, ‘maybe he moved the needle a little bit’,” said Hamilton, less than a couple of hours after landing at Hamad International Airport on Wednesday. “To enable people from all shapes and sizes, all different backgrounds, religion, gender, to get into the sport where they perhaps wouldn’t have been able to do before.”

The 39-year-old has been a staunch supporter of using his platform and fame to speak about social issues in and out of the sport, especially on inclusivity.

That is evident in his new short film, which chronicles the seven-time F1 world champion’s experience of tackling astronaut training. The film features Hamilton performing high-intensity manoeuvres, and an aerial “dogfight” in a fighter jet. It culminates with him attending a diverse student group from a social STEM education initiative, who were invited to witness the action live.

And then the message appears: “You can become anything you want in life — a racing driver, a pilot or even an astronaut.”

Hamilton’s childhood fascination with space travel and engines inspired him to take on the challenge. Aware of the challenges faced by children of colour in pursuing their dreams, Hamilton says he wants to keep pushing the boundaries – not just for the sake of it, but to inspire others to do the same.

A Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) charter — created with recommendations from The Hamilton Commissions’ report — was recently agreed among Formula 1, its governing body, the FIA, and all 10 participating teams.

The charter will be formally supported by Mission 44, a charity that Hamilton founded in 2021 to tackle the lack of representation in the sport he tamed in at his peak with education, empowerment, and employment.

“I try to be intentional with the things that I do,” Hamilton said. “If we see the sport much more reflective of the outside world in 10 or 20 years time, and I’ve contributed, that’s something to be proud of.”

Hamilton seeks to build on Vegas momentum in Qatar

Winning in F1 requires more than just the driver’s performance, but also the collective efficiency and expertise of the entire team. By the lofty standards that they have set over the years, it has not been the best of seasons for Mercedes, but they arrive in Qatar with a high morale.

The Solver Arrows completed a one-two in Vegas, with George Russell finishing ahead of Hamilton in a perfect race for Toto Wolff’s team.

After a challenging season marred by mechanical issues, which led Hamilton to describe 2024 as the “worst start to a season I’ve ever had”, many now see Qatar as his best chance to secure a win before he puts on the red racing suit next season.

“It’s a much better car than last year so I’m hoping this weekend will be different — maybe something special,” he added, acknowledging the changes in circuit.

In 2021, Hamilton came to Qatar needing to close down the gap with then-leader and eventual champion Max Verstappen, with no alternative to a perfect result.

“I had to win every single one of the last four races so the pressure was really on,” Hamilton said. “We didn’t have any updates on our car since Silverstone and we had to work with what we had. Through real hard work and focus, we managed to extract more from the car.”

He eventually won the race, making Lusail the 30th different track in which he had seen the chequered flag first, cutting Verstappen’s championship lead short to eight points with just two races to go.

“This track is amazing to drive and it felt good. Being that it is such a fast circuit I don’t think it’s the easiest of circuits to follow, but it’s good for the tyres,” Hamilton said at the time.

Could the experience of winning in 2021 come handy?

“I barely remember last week,” he said on Wednesday. “I don’t remember the race but I remember the qualifying lap was pretty special.”

The return to Qatar in 2023, however, was not the best for Hamilton and Mercedes. In a resurfaced circuit, Russell and Hamilton finished just shy of podium places in the sprint, and things looked the exact opposite of the high-flying performance from two years earlier.

Things went south for the side when its two drivers crashed in the first corner of the opening lap. While Russell retained his position from the sprint to finish fourth, Hamilton had to retire from the race, emblematic of his dry run in 2023 and the year before, where he went winless for two seasons. He later took the blame for the collision.

‘Trying to be the best human being’

That was not the first time Hamilton’s off-track statements had made headlines in Qatar. Even before any F1 car had hit the track in Lusail, Hamilton had criticised the country, following Amnesty International call for the sport to “speak out”.

“As sports go to these places, they are bound to raise awareness. These places need scrutiny. Equal rights is a serious issue,” Hamilton said in 2021, before going on to wear a rainbow-themed helmet with the quote “We Stand Together”.

FIA, the sport’s governing body then updated the International Sporting Code in December 2022, which made it mandatory for drivers to obtain written permission before making or displaying “political, religious and personal statements or comments.” In reply, Hamilton said that nothing would stop him from speaking his mind.

But will Hamilton’s penultimate race with Mercedes be a return to the top of the podium to cap off objectively the most successful partnerships yet? Again, Hamilton refuses to tally his legacy in achievements and wins.

“I think at one point when I was younger, it was about being remembered as one of the best drivers in the world and I care a lot less about that now,” he said.

“It’s more about trying to be the best human being you can be and actually doing something for people.”