Why Lewis Hamilton 'speaks with an American accent' as F1 fans left baffled

Brits have been left buzzing after Lewis Hamilton stormed to victory in the British Grand Prix - but many have also been left baffled by his ever-changing accent.

The seven-time world champ bagged his first Formula 1 win in nearly three years on Sunday (7 July) at his home turf of Silverstone, making for some very moving scenes on the race track.

Hamilton sobbed on the team radio after securing the chequered flag at the motor racing circuit as his colleagues at Mercedes congratulated him, saying: "This means so much to me."

He's finishing the season on a high before the makes the shock move to Ferrari, so you can understand why emotions were running high for him - especially as he was under immense pressure to come out on top.

It was Hamilton's first triumph since the penultimate round of the 2021 F1 campaign in Saudi Arabia, and he admitted it has been a long 945 days without wearing a crown.

Speaking of his success shortly after the race and how he was overcome by emotions, he told Sky Sports: "It's surreal. "My heart is racing. I had so many amazing times here in the past but when I came across the line, something released in me that I have been holding onto for a long time.

"It was the most emotional end to a win I have ever experienced. I always wondered why I never cried! You see Rubens Barrichello crying and I was like 'that doesn't happen to me' but it hit me hard.

"After such a difficult 2021, just trying to continue to come back but we as a team had a difficult time. There were so many thoughts and doubts in my mind along the way to the point, at times, I wanted to not continue.

Lewis Hamilton triumphed at the British Grand Prix on Sunday. (Peter Fox - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

"To arrive and continue to get up and continue to try and finally succeed is the greatest feeling I can remember having."

Although fans were happy to hear Hamilton speaking from the heart, quite a few people were distracted by his alternating accent during the interview.

The 39-year-old was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, but he doesn't exactly sound like he's from there - in fact, F1 fans have got some quite hilarious theories about his manner of speaking.

Taking to social media, one said: "Just caught Lewis Hamilton interview. Why does he have an American accent???"

Another wrote: "Wtf has happened to Lewis Hamilton accent? Sounds like a cross between Yank, some South African and Aussie, with a a wee bit of southern English."

A third added: "Lewis Hamilton's accent is so fascinating."

While a fourth chimed in: "Why is Lewis Hamilton changing his accent every few words?"

Lucky for us lot, the Brit racing driver has previously discussed the reason behind why he seems to chop and change between accents, and it's all to do with his childhood.

But fans noticed the Brit racing driver's accent seemed a bit unusual. (Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)

During Sky Sport's F1 2019 series 'Small Talk', Hamilton was asked by an inquisitive young fan: "You sound a bit American. Why is that?"

While laughing, Hamilton revealed: "I have a really mixed accent, I don't know why. I think what it was, was that my dad always gave me a lot trouble, because he said I would mumble so I’d always stutter my words when I was younger.

"Then I started traveling to Europe, so I was a lot in France and Italy and I started speaking a lot of broken English.

"Then I spent a lot of time in an American Airbase when I was young.

"Naturally, all the music I listen to is American, so sometimes you just accidentally pick up the twang."

Hamilton also stated in another interview: "This is where my heart is - I am fully British."

So don't worry, he isn't trying to shrug off his roots and distance himself from Stevenage - he's just quite the man of the world who has done a lot of travelling and picked up various twangs on the way.

But speaking of interviews... did you clock Brian May dodge a chat with Martin Brundle on the tarmac?