Hamilton dedicates Canadian GP win to Muhammad Ali

As he crossed the line, Hamilton said over team radio: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! That one was for Muhammad guys, that was for Ali..."

Published : Jun 13, 2016 12:02 IST

Lewis Hamilton celebrates Canadian Grand Prix win

Lewis Hamilton dedicated his Canadian Grand Prix victory to late boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Mercedes' double-defending world champion closed to within nine points of his team-mate Nico Rosberg with victory at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday.

Hamilton emerged from his cockpit and shadow-boxed before getting out of his car and doing an 'Ali shuffle'

As he crossed the line, Hamilton said over team radio: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! That one was for Muhammad guys, that was for Ali..."

He told Sky F1 afterwards: "That guy was an inspiration and still is today, and he will be to so many people.

"I don't know, the last 15 laps I was thinking about him, thinking about how the car... I was able to flow with it. Like he would say, 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'.

"Very rarely do I dedicate races to anyone so it's an honour for me to be able to do that to him."

Ali died aged 74 last week after a three-decade long battle with Parkinson's disease.