"Hamilton's Buddies Left Cold by Motorsport
So far he's never had the chance to race against another black driver. Even his friends are more interested in football and basketball, Hamilton says. It's not only a matter of likes and dislikes, it's primarily a question of money. Lewis' father Anthony, whose own father emigrated to England from Trinidad, had to take on two jobs in addition to his regular employment on the railroad in order to finance his eldest son's hobby. It all began with little electric cars on a vacation trip.

Sponsors Hoping for a "Tiger Woods Effect"
For Lewis Hamilton himself, his skin color is no big deal. "It's more a thing for the media to talk about. The way I see it, my color is an advantage in that it's something people talk about," says the young man with the perfect manners. "Being the first black man doesn't matter much to me personally, but for the sport itself it probably means quite a lot." The sponsors especially are hoping for some kind of fast-moving "Tiger Woods effect"."

From a Credit Suisse magazine report.

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