F1: Lewis Hamilton Inspires 5-Year-Old Kid To Pursue Racing Career

Lewis Hamilton has inspired a 5-year-old kid to pursue a Formula One racing career.

Grayson Dean Walcott is a 5-year-old South Barrington boy who has started to take the first step to his dreams. His fascination with cars has led him to pursue a racing career, and not surprising at all, F1 superstar Hamilton has contributed to the young boy’s aspirations.

In an interview with ABC7 Chicago, Walcott spoke about his dreams of becoming like Hamilton one day. The aspiring racer also revealed that he chose to represent the no. 44 because he is channeling Hamilton.

"I always wanted to race. And I wanted to race too because I like cars," Walcott said.

"I picked 44 on my car because of Lewis Hamilton. I think the same thing that Lewis Hamilton has 44 and that's why I got 44," Walcott added.

Walcott already competed for the first time against kids a year or two older than him. As a first-timer, he qualified second on the grid and after two 8-lap heats and finished 3rd in the feature event.

At an early age, Walcott has already convinced his coach Jim Perry that he has the potential to become a racing star in the future.

"Grayson (Walcott) has great potential for a 5-year-old. He's also up there at Qwest Academy and that tells you a little something about the type of kid he is," Perry said.

Aside from his coach, Walcott has the full support of his dad, Nicholas, and his mom Kadijah as he speeds toward his Formula 1 dreams.

"He was sitting down once to watch Formula 1 racing and I didn't think anything of it. And two weeks later he comes in the room and says, 'Dada, Dada, the race is about to come on.' He had remembered that the Formula 1 race was every two weeks and he came in the room and wanted to watch Formula 1," Nicholas Walcott said.

Just like the young Hamilton, Walcott admitted that he is still a work-in-progress in terms of polishing his F1 skills and he uses his simulator for training.

"I'm still learning how to drive a Formula 1 on my simulator," Walcott admitted.

Like any other sports legends, Hamilton also started from humble beginnings. Some racing fans might not know, Hamilton started his racing career operating motor controlled cars at a young age.

“I was racing these remote-controlled cars and winning club championships against adults,” Hamilton recalled.