Lewis Hamilton is set to be knighted by The Queen in 2021 after becoming the most successful Formula 1 driver in history.
The Brit won his seventh F1 world championship this year, equalling the great Michael Schumacher’s record.
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But he also made history in his own right in the process by taking his tally to 95 race wins, beating Schmacher’s previous record of 91.
And, as a result, the Stevenage-born star is due to be named in the New Year Honour’s List on Thursday.
Hamilton, who devoted his season to promoting the Black Lives Matter movement for racial equality and more diversity in the sport, also ended 2020 by being crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for the second time.
The 35-year-old is already an MBE, which he was awarded in 2008 after winning his first F1 world title.
And while there have been concerns over his eligibility for a knighthood due to his status as a tax exile, it is claimed Prime Minister Boris Johnson has dismissed them and found a way to ensure the F1 icon will become Sir Lewis.
Hamilton, who is worth more than £250million, first moved from the UK to Switzerland after completing his debut season in 2007, and has lived in Monaco for a decade.
A host of Formula 1 drivers past and present, as well as other top sports stars, live and have lived in the sovereign state, which is well known for being a tax haven.
But over the years his choice of home has seen many critics accuse the driver of ‘turning his back on his country’.
However, the Mail claims the Prime Minister has found a way to bypass any such concerns by placing Hamilton on the ‘Diplomatic and Overseas List’, with the newspaper further claiming that ‘no previous British sporting figure has been accommodated in this controversial way’.
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It is claimed former Labour Cabinet minister Lord Hain has twice written to Downing Street with evidence that Hamilton is in fact among the top 5,000 UK taxpayers.
However, Hamilton’s Monaco residency has meant HMRC have not been able to adequately vet his tax affairs — a prerequisite for all domestic awards.
It is claimed, though, that the Prime Minister has sidestepped the concerns by using the ‘Overseas’ designation that ‘recognises people who have given exceptional service to the UK abroad and internationally’.
It means Hamilton will become the fourth F1 driver to be knighted, following Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jackie Stewart.
Source: TalkSport.com Motorsport