Vegan F1 Driver Lewis Hamilton Wins Sixth World Title and Opens a Plant-Based Burger Chain

Lewis Hamilton has won his sixth Formula One world championship, finishing second at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, and he did it powered by plants.

Starting fifth on the grid at the Circuit of the Americas, Hamilton made a one-stop strategy work and held off Red Bull's Max Verstappen to finish behind Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. It's his third title in a row. He moves past Juan Manuel Fangio's five and now sits one behind Michael Schumacher's all-time record of seven.

An emotional Hamilton told his team:

It's hard to explain what I'm feeling right now, to be honest. Cloud nine doesn't even get close, it's somewhere far above that. It's been the hardest year I can remember; it's been so challenging, going through the ups and downs, so right now I'm just so full of emotion, it's overwhelming. I feel truly humbled, and really, really grateful to everyone back at the factories.

Hamilton went plant-based in 2017 and credited his new diet for his form as he closed in on his fourth title that year. Since then he's taken the fifth and now the sixth. He's also an executive producer of The Game Changers, the plant-based sports documentary.

Off the track he's been busy too. In September he opened Neat Burger just off Regent Street in London, with hospitality group The Cream Group and investor Tommaso Chiabra, an early backer of Beyond Meat. The patties are made with Beyond Meat, and the team plans 14 more sites in the next two years.

Hamilton explained why he got involved:

I'm very passionate about being kinder to our world and also really respect Neat Burger's commitment to more ethical practices and supporting small businesses, so this is something I'm also really proud to support. But it is also about the product. As someone who follows a plant-based diet, I believe we need a healthier high street option that tastes amazing but also offers something exciting to those who want to be meat-free every now and again.

Six world titles, a burger chain and no meat. Not bad for someone who supposedly can't get enough protein.

F1 is one of the most physically punishing sports there is, with drivers enduring huge g-forces for nearly two hours. Hamilton is proof of what the research shows: plant protein builds muscle just as well as animal protein, and it's better for your heart.

Hamilton joins a long line of plant-powered champions. Last month The Game Changers became the best-selling documentary in iTunes history, and over the years we've covered Nate Diaz beating Conor McGregor, David Haye saying going vegan made him stronger than ever and Kendrick Farris lifting for the US at the Rio Olympics. And when Beyond Meat went public in May, its shares surged 163% on day one.

Congratulations Lewis. No meat, no problem.