Hamilton: "I always slept on the couch because there was no other bed"

Lewis Hamilton has often spoken about his youth, where his family had little to spend and his father had to work hard to give his son the chance to race. The world champion sees his father Anthony as his big hero.

His parents split up when he was two years old, after which he initially stayed with his mother. However, he kept in touch with his father and watched Formula One races with him. "My dad lived in a one-bedroom apartment and I always spent the weekends with him. I can still remember the couch because I always slept on the couch because there was no other bed," he says according to Motorsport-Total.com.

Hamilton's first experience with cars

"When I was four or five years old I got to play with the neighbour's radio-controlled car. That was the first time I did that," continued the Mercedes driver. "But I always loved cars. My dad was passionate about his car, and when I was sitting in the back I would watch him change gears and stuff. He's my hero," Hamilton concludes.

When he was twelve he went to live with his father, who was also his manager. Hamilton has often praised his father for his hard work in making his racing career possible, which he started when he was eight years old.