7x F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton evidently has numerous tattoos on his body. Some are hidden, while others are always visible. The driver had 15 tattoos on his body until 2023, and has added a few more in the last couple of years. But what are the meanings behind Hamilton’s tattoos?
During an interview with GQ back in 2018, Hamilton explained the meaning of all the ink he had during that time. The Briton also revealed that there was deep meaning behind almost all the tattoos he got. So let’s discover the stories behind Hamilton’s tattoos.
Religion and Spirituality
Lewis Hamilton has a massive Christian cross with wings coming out of it tattooed on his back. The F1 star revealed that this was inspired by Tupac, his favorite rapper. It also signifies Hamilton’s strong religious beliefs.
Further highlighting his Christian beliefs, his right hand features religious imagery, including a guardian angel, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and a depiction of Michelangelo’s Pieta, the sculpture of Mary cradling Jesus after the crucifixion. He also has an imagery of Jesus on the back of his neck.
Right in the center of his chest, Hamilton also a huge compass tattoo. He explained that he got his direction in life by going to the Church on Sundays, and the tattoo signifies this. He also has ‘God is love’ written on his neck, and ‘Blessed’ behind his left ear.
Famous quotes and literature
Probably Hamilton’s most famous tattoo, the ‘Still I Rise’ is written on his upper back. This has become the Briton’s tagline over the years, and it was inspired by a poem of the same name.
Hamilton has another quote written across his chest, which says ‘Powerful beyond measure.’ This quote is by famous American author, Marianne Williamson, from her book A Return to Love.
Lewis Hamilton and his Family
Lewis Hamilton has often credited his family for shaping his F1 journey. One of his most meaningful tattoos is a silhouette of his father, Anthony, tossing him in the air as a child, set against the Pearly Gates and enclosed in a clock, symbolizing a cherished moment in time.
To honor his mother, Carmen, he has ‘11:11’ tattooed on his throat, marking her November 11 birthday.
A rose on his ribs pays tribute to his late aunt, who passed away from cancer in 2013. He also wears the words ‘Family’ and ‘Faith’ across his shoulders.
All other Lewis Hamilton tattoos and their meanings
Hamilton sports a lion tattoo on the left side of his chest, symbolizing the “lion at heart” he believes himself to be. While he has also the Chinese symbols for ‘warrior‘ and ‘love‘, because he wanted to get a tattoo in Chinese, due to the love and affection he receives there.
The British driver also had a tattoo of a small rose on his left hand, to hide an older scar. But recently, he has completely adorned his hands with ink. Several words that seemingly mean a lot to him feature on his hands. This includes words like ‘Love‘ ‘Live‘ ‘Mum‘ and also ‘Coco‘, the name of his bulldog that passed away in 2020.
On his right hand, Hamilton has added a Capricorn symbol, which is his star sign. It also has an hourglass, and a swordsman icon. The index finger also has an image of someone being abducted by an alien spaceship. His left hand features sacred geometry and alchemical designs, and a tiger on the index finger.
