Formula One: Lewis Hamilton could become Sir Lewis Hamilton if knighted in January

Three-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton could become Sir Lewis Hamilton in January, as he may be knighted in the New Year’s Honours list.

Three-time and soon-to-be four-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, 32, has had a great year in 2017. With just three races to go in the 2017 Formula One season and 75 points maximum on the table for all drivers, he leads the drivers standings by 66 points over Sebastian Vettel with a clear path to clinching his fourth career title in the next race in the Mexican Grand Prix.

Hamilton has won five of the last six races and has nine wins through 17 races so far this season. He tied and then broke Michael Schumacher’s all-time Formula One pole record and he continues to inch closer and closer to Schumacher’s all-time Formula One win record of 91 victories. Hamilton has won 62 Formula One races in his career, with 40 of those wins coming since the start of the 2014 season.

But aside of the fact that it would take a miracle for Hamilton not to win this year’s Formula One championship, that may not be the best news for him in 2017 or even to kick off 2018 for that matter. According to bookmakers, there’s a great chance that Hamilton will be knighted in the New Year’s Honours List and become Sir Lewis Hamilton in January of 2018.

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Following when he won his first career Formula One championship in the 2008 season, Hamilton was awarded an MBE, which stands for “Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, on the end of his name. In winning that title, he became the 10th British driver to do so in the history of the sport.

If–well, let’s not mince words here–when Hamilton wins this year’s Formula One championship, he will have done what no other British driver has done, and that is win four career Formula One titles. In fact, in doing so, he would put himself in a position behind only Michael Schumacher (7 championships) and Juan Manuel Fangio (5) in terms of career titles won among drivers from all countries.

According to Express, here is what a spokesperson had to say about the subject of Hamilton potentially being knighted.

"“Lewis Hamilton is already the most successful British driver in Formula 1 history with 62 race victories, twice as many as Nigel Mansell achieved during his career, and is now on course to become only the fifth F1 driver to win four or more world titles.”“In recognition of his remarkable achievements, the 32-year-old is now odds-on at 4/6 with BetStars to upgrade his current MBE status to a knighthood in the New Year honours list.”“The 2014 Sports Personality of the Year winner could join the likes of Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart and Jack Brabham to receive the esteemed accolade for his services to motor racing. We’re backing Hamilton to become Sir Lewis in the very near future.”"

Next: Looking back at Lewis Hamilton's record-setting accomplishment

Will Lewis Hamilton officially become the 2017 Formula One champion in the next race, the Mexican Grand Prix at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, and is there a legitimate chance that he will be knighted in January of 2018? The fact that these are even topics of discussion show the kind of year it has been for the three-time and soon-to-be four-time Formula One champion.