Hamilton could become honorary Brazilian citizen with vote to be held
Lewis Hamilton says he’d be ‘honoured’ to become an honorary Brazilian citizen, with a vote to be held in parliament… as the F1 star jokes ‘he’s waiting for his passport’ after revealing Neymar invites him to the country every year
- A bill to make Lewis Hamilton an honorary citizen of Brazil is currently pending
- The move was proposed following the Brit’s victory at the 2021 Brazilian GP
- Hamilton visited Sao Paulo this week to make a keynote speech at an event
- He revealed that football superstar Neymar tells him to visit Brazil every year
Lewis Hamilton has stated he would be ‘honoured’ if he were to become a honorary citizen of Brazil.
A bill to make the 37-year-old an honorary citizen is pending in the lower house of the Brazilian parliament but has yet to be voted on.
The move was proposed by congressman Andre Figueiredo after last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix which saw the Brit unfurl the Brazilian flag after taking a brilliant victory.
Lewis Hamilton has said he would be honoured to become a honorary Brazilian citizen
The seven-time world champion replied to a Brazilian article which is headlined ‘Bill could give Hamilton the title of honorary citizen of Brazil’ – confirming that he would be honoured
Hamilton has responded on social media to a Brazilian article on the subject, as he tweeted: ‘I’d be honoured.’
In a further message, he posted four lines consisting of emojis of the Brazilian national flag.
As it turns out Hamilton has travelled to Brazil this week to make a keynote speech at the VTEX event for business and digital transformation – following in the footsteps of Barack Obama and Richard Branson.
Hamilton also posted this tweet as he has been speaking out at an event in Sao Paulo this week
Hamilton has revealed that PSG superstar Neymar invites him to Brazil every year
On Wednesday, he said at the event in Sao Paulo: ‘I want to spend more time here in Brazil it is such a beautiful culture.
‘I’ve only been to Rio and Sao Paulo, but I want to come back for Christmas, New Year or something.
‘Neymar invites me every year, and [pro surfer] Gabriel [Medina] invites me every year, but I never had the chance. I’m waiting for my Brazilian passport.’
Hamilton has made no secret of his love for the South American country which he has a long-standing association with.
Growing up, he idolised Brazilian Formula One icon Ayrton Senna, who won three drivers’ championships.
It was in Brazil that Hamilton won his first drivers’ championship back in 2008, as he passed Timo Glock for fifth place on the final corner of the final lap, to pip home-favourite Felipe Massa to the championship.
Hamilton raised the country’s flag after winning the Brazilian Grand Prix last season
His helmet for the race had the Brazilian flag on top as he raced from tenth to first place
Though he wasn’t the crowd favourite on that occasion, he has since won the hearts of the Brazilian crowd.
Hamilton produced a stunning drive to win the Brazilian Grand Prix towards the end of last season – in a year he narrowly missed out on the championship to Max Verstappen.
After the race, he grabbed a Brazilian flag from a marshal and drove back to the pits hoisting it up in the air.
He would then bring the flag onto the podium and held it during the national anthems.
Hamilton idolised Brazilian F1 icon Ayrton Senna when he was growing up as a fan of the sport
He won his first of seven drivers’ championships in Brazil in 2008 after a pass on the final lap
The crowd chanted his name along with that of Senna, who died in a crash during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
Hamilton also had a special helmet designed which had the Brazilian flag on the top.
Presidential hopeful Ciro Gomes, backed the honorary citizenship for the Mercedes driver.
‘Hamilton, you already live in our hearts. With the honorary citizenship, you will be even closer to us,’ he said on Twitter.
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