I agree. Not a Lewis fan but I do respect what he tries to do for charity and awareness issues. However, I think he has a lot more of that to do before being worthy of a knighthood. The reality is that he's been knighted for his seven world championships, and because of his popularity with the British public, and I personally think that's wrong. He's a great driver sure, but so what? That doesn't make the world or our country a better place.
Following on from your example of Doctors and nurses, Lewis is just doing his "job" too, so why does he deserve awards for being good at it, whereas thousands of "normal" people really doing good and saving lives don't?
Personally I don't think sporting prowess should ever be criteria for knighthood. It should be based entirely on someone's work to make society better for everyone, or perhaps an act of extreme bravery or self-sacrifice on behalf of others. Handing them to athlete just for being athletes cheapens them in my view.
"The New Year Honours 2021 lists have been published, marking the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom." That's from the gov.uk site that published the honours list. I believe the reasons for the award is the rather generic 'services to motorsport', I can't see any mention of his activism. I'm not sure why people are argueing that Lewis shouldn't have been recognised in this years list. Lewis didn't 'just do his job' this year, he cemented his place and legacy as one of the greatest (statistically at least) Formula One drivers of all time, whether you or me agree he was the best, personally. Formula One being, whether people like it, one of; if not the most prestigious motorsports competitions in the world. He is, without a doubt (statistically) by far and away the most decorated British driver, his nearest equal has already recieved his knighthood. When you look back in the record books now you'll see Lewis' name topping lists of all time wins, poles and equalling World titles and alongside his name you'll see "British".
I mean, for an award system drenched in references to Empire, the lad has got the National anthem played on average once a month in front of a global audience for the past 6 years.
He absolutely meets and exceeds the criteria for his honour as it sets out. Sure, he didn't cure cancer but that's not what's being recognised. It's not even that he's an outlier in this. The New Years Honour Lists are filled with sportspeople, musicians, actors, writers etc.
As mentioned by a poster above, there's already awards and honours for bravery and galantry. If Lewis saved Grosjean from that fire, jumped back into what was left of the cockpit to retrieve his missing shoe and then came from 5 laps down to still win the race (all while under enemy fire) I'm sure he'd be a shoe-in for a Victoria Cross too.
A knighthood is a "lifetime achievement" and is something that should be awarded at the end of someone's career, not simply because it would be a popular decision in the current political climate amongst a select, vocal section of society.
I think this award is appalling, when we have doctors and nurses laying down their lives for us, simply doing their jobs.
I don't see anything that stipulates that an honour can only be awarded at the end of a career (or to wait 'til the recipient has croaked it!). It might of made sense to wait a short while longer for Lewis to see out his career but, to be fair, he's reached the key milestones of his career this passed year. He's just further cementing his legacy at this point.
I'm not sure what you're alluding to with the 'vocal section of society' line (hopefully not some 'It's PC gone mad' style rant
). He did also win Sport Personality via public vote over an England International footballer and Captain of a Liverpool side that won their first League title over 25 years. It's not like he's unheard of or unliked outside of motorsports circles or is being propped up by the establishment as some kind of flavour-of-the-month poster boy.
Again, to repeat, it's not unusual (Tom Jones, OBE) for people that are not frontline NHS to recieve honours. So it's not a surprise a sportsperson who has set a new benchmark to beat in motorsports gets a nod. Like, the timing isn't even odd. You could also argue he should of got it sooner as soon as he became the most sucessful British F1 driver.
In fact, it's just as much tradition that many 'ordinary' people are bestowed an honour. I mean take a look at how the BBC covered this years awards...
Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has been knighted in a New Year Honours list which salutes hundreds of people for their work in the Covid pandemic.
Hamilton, who took his seventh title in November, is on the list with actress Sheila Hancock, who is made a dame.
Ex-footballer Jimmy Greaves and musician Craig David become MBEs.
But it is the response to coronavirus which dominates, and an MBE for charity volunteer Anne Baker, 106, makes her the oldest ever recipient of an honour.
Mrs Baker, from Salisbury, who has been involved with fundraising for the NSPCC since the 1950s, said it was a "great surprise and great honour" to be recognised.
Ruth Saunders, aged 104, becomes an MBE for services to charity during Covid after walking a marathon to raise money for Thames Valley Air Ambulance this year.
The same honour goes to airline pilot Emma Henderson, from Moray, who set up a first class lounge experience in more than 80 hospitals across the UK for NHS staff.
There is an MBE for Mark Owen, from Clwyd, after he re-joined North Wales Police to support volunteer officers with tasks including delivering prescriptions and food parcels, and a British Empire Medal (BEM) for Catherine Fitzsimmons from Greater Manchester, a former palliative care nurse who came out of retirement.
There is a BEM too for Carl Konadu, 28, who helped young people in London prepare for job applications during the pandemic through 2-3 Degrees, a not-for-profit group he co-founded.
The recognition for hundreds of people involved in the Covid response continues the trend set in the delayed Birthday Honours in October.
I don't see how recognising Lewis' achievements in anyway downplays the exceptional contributions of those who have made sacrifices this past year to help others and no amount of awards or honours will recognise
every person that has strived to make their country a better place. We can celebrate more than one at a time though.
