Hamilton runner-up in SPOTY for second year in a row

Lewis Hamilton finished second in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award vote for the second year in a row, losing out to cricketer Ben Stokes.

Following his sixth Formula 1 world championship victory in 2019, Hamilton was announced as one of six nominees for one of Britain’s top sporting prizes at the end of November.

The Mercedes F1 driver joined Stokes, Welsh rugby player Alun-Wyn Jones, football’s Raheem Sterling and athletes Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson on the shortlist.

Hamilton was announced as the runner-up for the award at the end of the prize-giving, receiving his trophy via video link while attending a family function.

Stokes – the 1/10 favourite with bookmakers – picked up the top gong after playing his role in England’s Cricket World Cup win in July and leading the team to victory in the third Ashes test one month later.

“Just want to congratulate Ben Stokes on winning the Sports Personality of the Year, and also a huge congratulations to all of the incredible sports men and women here in the UK,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram.

“It’s inspiring to see you all push the limits each year, I can’t wait to see what you do next. But most importantly, thank you so much to all of Team LH for calling in and voting for me.

“I am so grateful to you, I feel so privileged to have you with me on this journey. I’m sending you love and light.”

It marked the fifth time Hamilton has placed inside the top three for SPOTY – tying snooker player Steve Davis’s record – with second-place finishes in 2007, 2008, 2018 and 2019. Hamilton’s sole SPOTY win came in 2014, the year of his second F1 world title.

The SPOTY ceremony also saw mentions made to MotoGP and WSBK title winners Marc Marquez and Jonathan Rea, as well as paying tribute to Niki Lauda, Charlie Whiting and Anthoine Hubert following their deaths this year.