|
Born to drive
Lewis Hamilton, 15,
started karting when he was eight years old. He was clearly born to drive,
because by the age of ten, he was British Junior Champion - the youngest
champion ever! At 13, he started kart racing internationally, and one year
later, he signed a ten-year contract with Mc Laren Mercedes, the famous
Formula One racing team. They plan to help Lewis become a Formula One driver.
Lewis lives in England but races in Italy every weekend during the karting
season. So he gets up at 6.30 on Mondays to Thursdays to have extra school
lessons at home. He goes to school from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and after doing his
homework, he does his fitness training. He also studies Italian, because he
spends a lot of time in Italy.
On Thursday evenings, Lewis starts his " other " life. He gets on a
plane to Italy. Fridays are spent testing his kart, Saturdays doing the
qualifying rounds and Sundays are race days. Then it's back on the plane to
start school again on Monday !
Although Lewis travels to Italy alone, he can't drive to the airport. He must
wait till he is 17 to get his driving licence. But he has driven a Mercedes
sports car on a race track at 225 km per hour ! His dad, in the passenger
seat, was terrified !
EASY GOING (May 2000)
Lexique :
Extra : supplémentaire
although : bien que
race track : circuit (automobile)
|