Hamilton and Mercedes up for awards - fifth time lucky for the F1 champion?

Hamilton and Mercedes up for prestigious award - fifth time lucky for the F1 champion?

Originally written by Joas van Wingerden. This version is a translation.

Thursday 17 January 2019 16:28

Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have once again been nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards after dominating Formula 1 in 2018. The SIver Arrows will hope to defend their Team of the Year crown after winning a fifth straight double-title success, while Hamilton has been nominated for Sportsman of the Year for a fifth time.

Hamilton has never won the prestigious award, which has previously been given to Sebastian Vettel (2014) and Michael Schumacher (2002, 2004).

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Hamilton beat Vettel to the title last year, securing a fifth world title to move past the German's tally and leave himself with just Schumacher ahead on seven championships.

Alongside Hamilton on the Sportsman of the Year shortlist is world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic, NBA icon LeBron James, double marathon winner in 2018 Eliud Kipchoge and footballers Luka Modric and Kylian Mbappe, who led Croatia and France respectively to last year's World Cup final.

Those Nominations for Laureus Sportsman of the Year are here! Who's your favourite? #Laureus19 pic.twitter.com/3tCnSZqMQs — Laureus (@LaureusSport) January 17, 2019

Hamilton has twice previously been beaten to the award by Djokovic, who won Wimbledon and the US Open last year.

Mercedes won the Team of the Year category 12 months ago, having been nominated the three previous years without winning.

In fact, the last F1 constructors' champions not to be nominated for the award were Ferrari in 2008, likely influenced by Hamilton beating Felipe Massa to the drivers' title in a memorable finale in Brazil.

The Silver Arrows face competition from France's football World Cup champions, the successful European Ryder Cup team, NBA champions the Golden State Warriors, Champions League winners Real Madrid and Norway's Winter Olympic team, who topped the medal table in last year's competition in South Korea.