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>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.
MY GUEST TONIGHT IS A FORMULA ONE DRIVER WHO JUST BECAME A
SEVEN-TIME WORLD CHAMPION, TYING THE RECORD HELD BY MICHAEL
SCHUMACHER.
>> HE FIND HIMSELF ALONGSIDE MICHAEL SCHUMACHER AS TOP IN THE
RECORD BOOKS, THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD, LEWIS
HAMILTON WINS THE TURKISH GRAND PRIX.
>> FOR ALL THE KIDS OUT THERE WHO DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE, YOU
CAN DO IT, TOO, MAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
>> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME TO "A LATE SHOW," LEWIS HAMILTON!
LEWIS, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
>> Stephen: I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT FORMULA ONE, BUT I AM ALL
SWEPT UP IN YOUR EMOTIONS THERE AT THE END OF THIS RACE.
TELL ME WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD AT THAT MOMENT THAT WE
SAW ON TAPE JUST NOW?
>> WELL, STEPHEN, I'VE BEEN RACING FOR 27 YEARS.
I STARTED WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.
THE DREAM WAS TO GET TO FORMULA ONE, AND I GREW UP WATCHING
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER WIN ALL OF THOSE RACES AND THOSE TITLES AND
I'M FINALLY THERE.
THE LAST THREE LAPS, I KNEW THAT I WAS COMING INTO THE WEAK END,
AND IF I HAD WON THE RACE, I WOULD BE WORLD CHAMPION.
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG SO, YOU KNOW,
YOU JUST HAVE TO TRY AND STAY FOCUSED, NOT DROP BULL, AND I
THINK AS I WAS GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER THOSE LAST THREE
LAPS, REALIZING THAT IT MAY JUST BE A REALITY THAT IT'S REALLY
GOING TO HAPPEN.
I THINK JUST ALL THE EMOTIONS FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE YEARS
OF MY DAD WORKING AT ONE TIME THREE, FOUR JOBS JUST TO KEEP ME
RACING AND TRULY BELIEVING IN ME.
I THINK ALL THOSE CAME THROUGH.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE CRIED IN THE CAR, SO IT WAS REALLY
EMOTIONAL.
>> Stephen: LET'S TALK ABOUT KEEPING THAT CAR ON THE GROUND
IN THIS RACE.
THE RACETRACK IN ISTANBUL WAS SO SLICK, THE DRIVERS WERE SLIPPING
DURING PRACTICE WHEN THE WEATHER WAS FINE.
BUT THEN THERE WAS RAIN OVER THE WEEKEND.
WHAT WERE THOSE CONDITIONS LIKE FOR YOU.
I MEAN, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THIS SPORT, PEOPLE
ARE MARVELING AT A LEVEL THAT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE.
EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THOSE CONDITIONS WERE LIKE.
>> YES, SO THEY-- WE HADN'T BEEN TO THIS TRACK FOR MAYBE 10
YEARS-- YEAH, NINE YEARS.
SO THEY RESURFACED THE CIRCUIT, SO IT WAS NEW TARMAC THAT YOU
WOULD HAVE ON A HIGHWAY.
BUT THERE'S BASICALLY, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WAS SO DIRTY.
AND USUALLY, LIKE, OVER THE WEEKEND IT GETS MORE AND MORE
RUBBER FROM THE TIRES AND IT GETS BETTER AND BETTER, BUT IT
WASN'T HAPPENING.
>> Stephen: MAYBE THEY WERE RESURFACING IT WITH TEFLON.
>> MAYBE IT WAS A CHEAP JOB.
I DON'T KNOW.
AND THEN IT RAINED.
AND WHEN IT RAINS, IT'S USUALLY THE HARDEST CONDITIONS TO RACE
IN, IN GENERAL.
BUT AT THIS TRACK TIFS LIKE ICE.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF US DRIVERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT,
ESPECIALLY IN MY FORMULA ONE YAR.
THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL, THE FOCUS YOU NEEDED TO HAVE WAS SO
INTENSE.
I SLEPT MOST OF TODAY JUST TRYING TO RECOVER BECAUSE NOT
ONLY DO YOU LOSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ENERGY ON THE MENTAL
SIDE, YOU CAN LOSE UP TO 10 POUNDS IN THE RACE.
THIS ONE WAS COLD, SO I ONLY LOST, LIKE, FIVE POUNDS.
>> Stephen: JUST IN SWEAT?
OR OTHER FLUIDS?
>> ( LAUGHS )
SWEAT.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE I THINK I WOULD LOSE SOME WEIGHT DAMN
QUICK IF I TOOK A CORNARTY 150 MILES AN HOUR.
>> DEFINITELY, PUT ANOTHER WAY.
>> Stephen: YOU SAID YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 27 YEARS.
YOU'VE DREAMED OF DOING FORMULA ONE WHEN YOU WERE JUST A KID.
WE HAVE A CLIP HERE I WANT TO SHOW THE AUDIENCE.
THIS IS-- DO YOU KNOW HOW OLD ARE YOU IN THIS CLIP?
YOU WERE BEING INTERVIEWED BECAUSE YOU WERE CART RACING AT
THE TIME.
>> I THINK I WAS 10 OR 11.
>> WE WENT TO BELGIUM, AND THE SPEED THEY WERE DOING.
IT WAS AMAZING, BECAUSE YOU DONT ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT IT WHEN
YOU'RE WATCHING THE TV.
AND MY CART FEELS REALLY POWERFUL WHEN I'M IN IT.
BUT IMAGINE BEING IN A FORMULA ONE CAR.
IT MUST BE VERY POWERFUL.
>> Stephen: WHAT DO YOU-- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU SEE
THAT FOOTAGE?
>> I-- I IMAGINE IT'S THE SAME FOR ANYONE WATCHING BACK WHEN
THEY WERE A KID.
IT'S EMBARRASSING.
>> Stephen: NO, NOT AT ALL!
YOU SEEM PRETTY SELF-POSSESSED AS A 10-YEAR-OLD.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL THAT 10-YEAR-OLD KID NOW, THAT
SEVEN-TIME WORLD CHAMPION?
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE JUST TO NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF AND
CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF ALWAYS.
AND, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY, I'M HUMAN, AND LIKE ALL OF US, WE
HAVE OUR UPS AND DOWNS.
AD, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE CONSTANTLY BATTLING THE MIND IN TRYING TO--
IN TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE.
AND THERE ARE DAYS WHERE IT FEELS LIKE IT MIGHT NOT WORK.
IT FEELS-- YOU KNOW, THOSE STAGES THROUGH MY CAREER THAT I
DIDN'T THINK-- THERE WERE DAYS I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOOD ENOUGH.
I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT.
AND I WOULD GO OUT FOR A LONG RUN, GET BACK IN THE CAR, GET
BACK ON THE HORSE AND KEEP PUSHING AND NEVER GIVE UP.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SOMETHING MY DAD INSTILLED IN
ME, I THINK, AS A KID.
>> Stephen: AND IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING AT TIMES.
YOU'RE THE FIRST BLACK DRIVER IN THE 70-YEAR HISTORY OF FORMULA
ONE.
AND PEOPLE WERE NOT ALWAYS WELCOMING TO YOU.
>> YUP.
>> Stephen: AND YOU'VE RAISED AWARENESS OF BLACK LIVES MATTER.
YOU'VE ADVOCATED FOR INCLUSIVITY.
YOU SET UP SOMETHING CALLED "THE HAMILTON COMMISSION."
WHAT IS THAT?
>> YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE MOVIE
CAN THE COOL RAINS" ALWAYS -- >> Stephen: WHICH ONE?
>> "COOL RUNNINGS."
>> Stephen: YES, I WAS.
>> WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, ALL THE BOBSLEDDERS
STAY COMPLETELY SILENT AND THEY WONDER WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO
BE DOING THERE.
AND IT WAS THE SAME FOR ME AND MY DAD WHEN WE ARRIVED FOR THE
FIRST TIME AT THE GO-CART TRACK.
THE GO-CART WAS FIFTH HAND.
AND WE ARRIVED SCRUFFY, AND PEOPLE WERE LIKE, WHAT, ARE
THESE GUYS DOING HERE?" WE WERE THE ONLY BLACK PEOPLE
THERE.
OF COURSE WE WERE NOT ALWAYS WELCOME BUT MY DAD AS YOU SAID,
"DO YOUR TALKING ON THE TRACK."
THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
WE KEPT OUR HEADS DOWN AND DID WHAT WE LOVED.
AND I MEAN-- AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT-- FORMULA ONE, THERE
WAS AN IDEA OF WHAT A FORMULA ONE DRIVER WOULD LOOK LIKE AND
HOW THEY SHOULD BEHAVE AND WHAT THEY SHOULD BE LIKE.
AND I NEVER REALLY FELT COMFORTABLE CONFORMING TO HOW
PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT.
BUT WHEN I GOT TO FORMULA ONE, I THOUGHT JUST US BEING THERE
WOULD HELP SHIFT AND BREAK DOWN BARRIERS AND HELP MAKE THE SPORT
MORE DIVERSE.
BUT I REALIZED AFTER 14 YEARS, LOOKING AT THE LAYOUT OF OUR
SPORT, IT IS STILL NOT DIVERSE.
IT IS STILL A MALE, WHITE-DOMINATED SPORT.
AND I WOULD ASK MY TEEM TEAM, "WHY AM I ONE OF THE ONLY
PEOPLE, OUT OF 2,000 PEOPLE IN MY TEAM, WHY AM I ONE OF ONLY A
HANDFUL OF MINORITIES?" AND I PUT TOGETHER THE HAMILTON
COMMISSION TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT BARRIERS ARE AND WHAT THE
ROOT OF THE CAUSE IS, AND THROUGH THOSE FINDINGS FIND A
WAY TO HELP ENCOURAGE YOUNG BLACK KIDS GETTING INTO STEM
ROLES, INTO ENGINEERING IN THIS INDUSTRY.
AND I HOPE THAT-- YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE IN THE
COMMISSION THAT ARE IN POLITICS ON THE GROUND, THAT CAN REALLY
CHANGE THE LEGISLATION, RULES, AND PUSH ON THE GROUND IN
COMMUNITIES TO HELP ENCOURAGE THESE KIDS.
>> Stephen: I WANT TO-- WE HAVE TO GO IN A MOMENT, BUT I
WANT TO ASK YOU ONE LAST QUESTION.
I'M CURIOUS, WHENEVER I MEET SOMEONE WHO IS AT THE TOP OF
THEIR GAME, IN WHATEVER THE SPORT SI'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION:
IS THERE A MOVIE ABOUT YOUR SPORT THAT GET IT RIGHT?
LIKE "FORD VERSUS FERRARI," "TALLADEGA NIGHTS?"
>> I'M A BIG FAN OF "TALLADEGA NIGHTS," PERSONALLY.
WHEN HE'S ON FIRE.
I LOVE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THE RACING MOVIES ARE ALWAYS REALLY
DIFFICULT.
I THINK THEY'RE VERY, VERY TRICKY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND,
I GUESS.
I GUESS IT'S A HARD SPORT FOR PEOPLE TO RELATE TO.
BUT THE "FORD VERSUS FERRARI" I THINK THEY DID SUCH A GREAT JOB.
THERE ARE TWO GREAT INCREDIBLE ACTORS.
I LOVE THAT.
IT ALMOST ENCOURAGED ME TO GO AND DRIVE SOME OF THOSE CARS.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE SEVEN WORLD TITLES NOW.
YOUR CONTRACT WITH MERCEDES IS UP THIS YEAR.
WHAT'S NEXT?
>> I'VE GOT TO GET A NEW CONTRACT.
NO, I BET -- >> Stephen: WOULD YOU LIKE TO
BE SPONSORED BY A CBS TALK SHOW?
>> UH...
I'M INTERESTED.
I'VE GOT SPACE.
>> Stephen: OKAY, GOOD.
( LAUGHTER )
I'D BE HAPPY WITH THAT.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> THEY SELL THESE VISORS SO, I'M OPEN.
>> Stephen: SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, LEWIS.
>> STEPHEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>> Stephen: YOU CAN SEE HIS NEXT RACE ON NOVEMBER 29 ON ESPN.
LEWIS HAMILTON, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH A PERFORMANCE BY ANDREA BOCELLI.