WHAT a truly fantastic achievement by 23-year-old Lewis Hamilton becoming the youngest Formula One world champion in history.

I don’t usually watch motor racing but I was transfixed by the drama unfolding in the final race. It was an incredible finale to a thrilling season. I’d be reluctant to drive to the shops in a car with a steering wheel that slips off so easily, let alone travel at 200mph.

Lewis’s car didn’t even have a windscreen or mud flaps, so how he managed to see where he was going in all that spray is a testament to his amazing skill. His back up team were pretty good too, changing four tyres in seven seconds.

Lewis Hamilton promises to be a great ambassador for British sport. He’s articulate, educated and cool – exactly the kind of role model kids need. His ability to string a sentence together devoid of four letter expletives will be a revelation to the Big Brother generation-innit?

When things haven’t gone his way, Lewis hasn’t lost his composure, lashed out at his opponents or criticised his manager. He’s addressed his own failings, dug deep and worked harder.

Together with our Olympians, Lewis Hamilton made millions of us proud to be British. I salute them all.

The views on this page are Vic Barlow's and not necessarily those of the Express