Lewis Hamilton timeline

First article to be published on BU student-ran website BUzz. Link will appear once published...

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Lewis Hamilton – Timeline

Before some children learned how to ride a bike, Stevenage-born Lewis Hamilton was busy winning the British Karting championship. Since then, the wonder-kid has gone on to become one of Britain’s youngest and biggest ever Formula 1 driver.

Hamilton has accomplished so much in so little time – it may seem like days between winning his first championship to where he is today, winning Formula 1 titles and racing for F1 outfit Mclaren.

1993 – Aged 10, Hamilton wins his first ever championship, with four more British Karting titles coming his way by 1997.

1998 – Hamilton goes on to win his first European Karting title, whilst being spotted by Formula 1 giant Mclaren and signed up as the only ever teenager to be signed by an F1 team.

2000 – 15-year-old Hamilton goes one step further in his karting career, winning the World Karting championship.
2002 – Moving up in the ranks at a steady pace, Hamilton upgrades from go-karts to single-seaters, grabbing third place in his debut season.

2003 – Hamilton brushes aside all competition the next season, clinching the Formula Renault title with two races spare, winning 10 races in the one season.

2004 – A new year, a new class. Hamilton graduates to the Formula Three Euroseries. Although he only grabs one race win, he finishes fifth with a string of impressive results.

2005 – Once more, Hamilton’s second season in a new class proves too much for his rivals. With an astonishing 15 race wins, he is crowned Formula Three Euroseries champion.

2006 – A more successful debut season in the GP2 series, Hamilton dominates the class, booking himself into his first Formula One season the coming year under Mclaren.

2007 – Four F1 wins and six podiums put Hamilton on track to win his first ever Formula One title at the age of just 22. However, a string of disappointing results as the season drew to a close cost him the title as Hamilton was forced to settle for joint-second place with team-mate Fernando Alonso.

2008 – For the third time in his career Hamilton beats his competitors to top his class, becoming the youngest ever Formula One champion with a one-point lead after the final race of the F1 calendar. Hamilton puts pen to paper on a lucrative four-year deal with Mclaren, devoting himself to the Woking-based outfit after winning the team their first drivers’ championship since 1999.

2009 – Racing in a Mclaren MP4-24 deemed unready for the best part of the season, Hamilton averages just a point a race in his third season in Formula One until a flutter of podiums allowed Hamilton to finish a respectable fifth in the drivers’ championship.

Nov 2009 – Fellow Brit Jenson Button signs for Mclaren, making the outfit an all-English ‘dream team’ set to make their collective debut in the 2010 season.

Jan 2010 – Hamilton and Button pose for photos as the new MP4-25 is unveiled at the Vodaphone HQ, Newbury in preparation for the 2010 season.

Sunnies & Cider - Acoustically astounding

Due for publishing in Nerve magazine, Feb 2010

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Behind closed doors, I’ll happily stick on an acoustic playlist with the likes of Michael Buble, James Morrison, Jason Mraz and Paolo Nutini but to name a few. Come night-time, like most of you lot out there, I prefer the sound of bass pounding my walls. Instinctively, a night out at Sunnies & Cider – an acoustic night at the Orange Rooms - didn’t appeal, but skip forward a few hours and I was amazed at some of the talent playing down here in Bournemouth.


The bi-monthly event is held at the lively Orange Rooms, and like the bar itself has started up this September with quite a bang, with people piling in as the night progresses most nights - it’s justifiable to say with good reason too. The night is split into segments of around 30-40minutes long, where each musician will play their heart out to a friendly yet sometimes-critical crowd (one unlucky male received no claps for one of his own songs, yet another received ruptures of applause during a heart-warming rendition of Summer of ’69).


The event is run by BU’s very own “Tomo” Hayward and Stuart Jones, 3rd year events management and 2nd year business management students currently on their placement years. Already boasting reputable CVs as Promotions and Brand Managers at Tomo’s self-owned Crowded Underground promotions company, and with both regular events’ organisers for 176 it’s no surprise the night went off without a hitch. The highest hurdle for the guys is the “lack of live music currently in Bournemouth”, yet Tomo sees this as “a good challenge to take up” as the night, and everyone there’s love for music, seems to go from strength to strength.


Singer-guitarists Simon Farrar, a 2nd year Accounting and Law BU student, and 2nd year Journalism BU student Daniel Duke both played recently at the event and support Tomo’s need of an acoustic following in Bournemouth. “When I lived in Winchester,” said Simon, “it was easy to get gigs. Bars were keen to get people playing. Here, it’s hard to get involved, but slowly acoustic nights are spreading”. Simon admitted that although there’s a “huge competition to get signed”, he finds his love in playing at gigs regardless. Similarly, Daniel has “never turned down a gig” and savours every minute of his performances since he started playing live almost 7 years ago.


Although the drinks may be expensive (relatively speaking of course), the night will undeniably leave you wanting more. There’ll be a style for everyone – Simon sees himself as an easy-listenable upbeat, Jack Johnson-esque player whilst Daniel prefers more of a folk touch to his music. Sunnies & Cider is a fortnightly event and costs a few measly quid to attend, so if you’ve got a Sunday night free then head on down to Orange Rooms – whether you’re already a regular, an occasionally acoustic listener like me, or neither!