Written by Staff Writer, CNN
Born to a Venezuelan father and a Jamaican mother, but raised in England, who founded one of Britain’s leading car makers, Nick Hamilton became a major force in Formula One, working closely with his brother Lewis, who would later go on to become one of the sport’s greatest drivers.
Nicolas Hamilton’s pride in the pair’s achievements, and friendship, is a crucial part of the new documentary “Hamilton’s Dream.”
And, during the Cannes Lions Festival, the filmmaker described how their relationship underpinned the process of making the documentary, examining their relationship through the lens of Lewis’s historic F1 achievements and Nicolas’ experience working with top teams.
Nicolas Hamilton (second from left) spent five years working on the film. Credit: Julian Barratt/CEO Alexandra Films
“It’s basically about their relationship, which is probably what a lot of people want to know about, but it’s really much broader than that. Lewis was not my child when I started this, but that’s one of the most powerful parts of the film. It’s these two individuals who decided to build the company together. It’s not just a one man job — it’s two people working together.”
Hamilton opened up on the lack of openness in Formula One, and said that the result of the lack of diversity in motorsport is evident in their lack of participation in the Women in Motorsport Awards.
“Women that are at the top aren’t really getting picked for a few different reasons. Lewis not being able to come and talk about it or the Women in Motorsport awards, which they’re in on a regular basis. There’s too many restrictions on women that are accepted in the paddock.”
In response to criticisms that his documentary was a dull rehash of Formula One, Nicolas told CNN that he was confident that it would resonate with audiences across the globe, pointing to the facts that the brand both worked with and was impacted by Formula One.
The brothers Hamilton are credited with inventing the Formula One Head Mounted Fan Experience. Credit: Philippe Delmaison/Magnum Photos/Gallo Images
“I feel like we’ve built a film that really brings the fans in and the people watching the sport in a new way and brings something fresh.”
The pair founded their company, McLaren, together in 1993, and Nicholas now admits that his brother’s success led to a stronger personal bond.
He also revealed that he would go through the films, and re-watch important milestones in Lewis’s career to learn as much as he could for the film.