Lewis Hamilton is arguably the greatest man in the history of Formula 1. He’s black, and is the only black driver in the sport, yet the biggest and best by far.
Lewis Appiagyei, 16, is trailing the exemplary path laid by the British driver and at an early age, he has racked up enough plaudits to inspire him to equal or even surpass Hamilton’s greatness. After all, he has something in common – Lewis.
Appiagyei, a Guiness World Record holder at the age of 10, for his virtual racing feat. He hit a fastest lap on the Laguna Seca Circuit in virtual racing on PlayStation3 and six years since he achieved the landmark, his record is yet to be broken.
He is currently the youngest member of the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30, a list that features some of Africa’s finest young stars.
A fearless youngster, Appiagyei says he wants kids to dream big, as their talent can give them what they want if they work hard enough.
He is the current champion of the junior karting trophy at the Buckmore Park Kart Circuit, where Hamilton and Jenson Button also learnt the ropes.
The young Ghanaian has revealed that he hopes to become Africa’s first Formula 1 Champion, an aspiration he said is still up for grabs for every African driver in the world.
“My aim is to become Africa’s first Formula One world champion, a prize which is still up for grabs to all African racing drivers wherever they may be.”
Born in the United Kingdom to a Ghanaian father and a German mother, Appiagyei loves his African heritage. His love for the sport piqued when he lived in Hong Kong as he raced virtually.
He has since moved his trade to the F1 tracks and has been touted as the next big thing in the sport owing to his peerless records in karting.
While Appiagyei has said he doesn’t want to be the next Hamilton, as he hopes to lay his own marks, he is a long way from the achievements of the Briton.
However, the future holds a great deal for the talented, young driver as Ghanaians and the entirety of Africa look on to him as one of the shining lights of the continent.