I'm not really talking about knighthoods etc. as I firmly believe honours should be for exceptional circumstances (not just in a chosen field) and awarded later in life The fact remains that Hamilton has probably paid more tax in the UK than just about anyone on this forum, the fact remains he is British and always promotes the UK, the fact remains he is one of only 2 people to won more than 5 WCS (yes just 2 ever in the history of the sport), the fact remains he doesn't seem to get into bother for drugs, drink, womanising or whatever. He is an excellent role model and a top sportsman yet Andy Murray gets lauded and fawned over by the general public and the media far more despite being a shadow of the player that the likes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are. You can't say it's the sport either as tennis is just as marginal as F1 in terms of following in the UK if not more so and anyway the likes of Button, Mansell and Hunt were all held in massively high regard by the UK public and are/were household names.
The living abroad thing and not paying taxes is just an excuse... Button lived in Monaco.... Beckham lives in the USA, tens of thousands of Brits emigrate every year and don't pay tax in the UK... so ****ing what?
The fact remains that there is just one differentiating factor between the likes of Button, Hunt, Mansell, Murray and Beckham and that of Hamilton and it's skin colour!