No driver has ever made such an instant impact on the F1 racing as Lewis Hamilton. The first black grand prix driver, his astonishing success in his rookie season together with his swash-buckling, attacking style created a sensation. It has also been a central factor in the most exciting and controversial season of F1 in living memory as Hamilton was involved in a three-way fight for the world crown. Industrial espionage, claims of team favouritism and stunning on-track action peppered Hamilton's first season in the sport's top category. Here is the in-depth story of this phenomenon, from his upbringing on a Stevenage council estate and the day he first sat in a kart as a seven-year-old, to his sensational challenge on the world title. Friends, colleagues, team-mates, rivals, chaperones and engineers who have worked with him give some remarkable insights into Lewis the man and the driver, as well as into his close but complex relationship with father Anthony, the man who has largely steered his career. In the process we see how F1 success has changed this young man's life in a very short space of time. 'The best [of the Hamilton biographies] for knowledgeable fans is The Full Story by Mark Hughes, which - odd though it may seem - provides more detail, particularly on the earliest days of his racing career, than Hamilton's own version. Hughes is an accomplished Formula One journalist with a particularly accurate eye for the driving styles of individual drivers. Most of these authors have no trouble in persuading you that Hamilton is good. Hughes can tell you better than the rest why he is good: this is the volume for the petrolhead in your life.' Daily Telegraph 'If you are thinking of getting a Hamilton book, please don't be duped into thinking the official book will automatically be the best option. The Full Story is a far better choice.' F1Fanatic.co.uk 'Written with insider knowledge, and that fact shows through.' Autosport