Sir Lewis: To have a Hamilton Straight I’ve got my grandad’s name there

The British Racing Driver's Club announced in December that the pit straight would be renamed after the seven-time world champion and record-holding seven-time British Grand Prix winner.

Hamilton, who turned 36 on Thursday 7 January, secured his seventh Silverstone win last summer, completing more than half of the final lap on three wheels after suffering a tyre blowout.

“Hamilton Straight - what an honour and I am so grateful to the BRDC," he said. "To be honoured like this, and knowing that they haven’t done that with any other driver really.

“To have a Hamilton Straight, so even if my life ends tomorrow, the Hamilton name will always be there which is really, I really feel like I’ve got my grandad’s name there and that’s a really proud thing for me.”

At the time of the announcement, BRDC president David Coulthard said: “I was delighted, in my capacity as President of the BRDC, to share this news with Lewis today. It is the first time in Silverstone’s history that a part of the circuit has been named after any individual. 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 re-name the iconic pits straight in recognition of his record-breaking achievements.”