The Formula 1 world championship was just decided in the last race of the year. In fact, it was decided pretty nearly in the last turn of the last lap of the last race of the year. Formula 1 is hardly a popular sport in the U.S., but it's hugely popular around the world. Drivers can make tens of millions of dollars per year and a top team can spend upwards of $300M on car development. Many Formula 1 innovations find their way into consumer vehicles years later.
Lewis Hamilton's win may be interesting to those here due to the symbolic nature of his championship. Lewis is biracial. His mom is white, his dad black. Blacks are proportionately underrepresented in auto racing, and the Formula 1 World Championship is among the highest achievements in racing.
Now, there are barriers to entry in auto racing. It's an expensive sport and one where early participation matters. Lewis has been racing since he was eight and signed onto a F1 young drivers program when he was just 13 (he's 23 now). It's also a sport where networking helps immensely. Knowing team owners and drivers is extremely helpful which makes it difficult for outsiders to rise through the ranks.
Racism is unusual in an international sport, but not unheard of. Being the first black driver in Formula 1, Lewis has been the recipient of angry fans at times and the governing body of Formula 1 started a program called "Race Against Racism" to help put an end to the behavior of spectators. Hamilton is also the first black driver to win a race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway of any series when he won the US Grand Prix last year and is also the youngest ever F1 world champion. He has broken many barriers on his way and stands now as one of the greatest auto racers participating in the sport at this time.
Let's all hope that Hamilton's championship is only the first racial barrier to be knocked down this week, and congratulations to his victory, the product of remarkable talent and hard work.