Discuss the sport you love with other motorsport fans
Based on the odds Lewis isn't going to win tonight, Rory Mac is 1.05 where as Lewis is 5.3
It was a shock because the bookmakers had installed Rory McIlroy the odds-on favourite. Hamilton had always seemed to be ‘Marmite’ — loved or hated — but the people who like him spread their love in the live phone-in to take him one place higher than he managed in 2007 and 2008.
McIlroy, who looked upset, was second. Jo Pavey, who won two major athletics medals — including European gold in the 10,000m — at the age of 40 and having returned to the track in May after the birth of her second child, was third.
The claims of both Hamilton, who took his dog Roscoe for a walk on the red carpet before the ceremony, and McIlroy were immense.
McIlroy’s brilliance was showcased in 25 days, starting with his first round at Hoylake, where he won the Open, and finishing with his final round at Valhalla, where he won the US PGA Championship. His first World Golf Championship win, at Firestone, Ohio, fell in the middle. His aggregate total was 48 under par and 11 of the 12 rounds under 70.
Remarkable statistics by any stretch and then there was the sheer uninhibited style of his play. Those claims were impressive.
But so were Hamilton’s. He was only the fourth Briton ever to win double world championships – Graham Hill, Jim Clark and Stewart being the others. He has won more races than any compatriot ever (33). His 11 race wins this season was another national record.
Oh, yes, the car was good but his ability to put it in places others could not at speeds they could not match was remarkable. It has been that way ever since he announced himself as a talent of rare brilliance. And he does it in a dangerous sport.
One does wonder, however, how much nationality had to play in the outcome. McIlroy has said he will compete for Ireland at the Olympics. Hamilton, despite where his taxes are paid, is avowedly British
...about Lewis 
winning BBC SPOTY 2014 ..... 
...he seemed to really want to win this trophy ...& deserved too... 
I did of course take my phone with me and vote for him. What a great year for Lewis and his fans!!
After the agony of defeat, success will be sweet!Lewis Hamilton defied the heavy favouritism bestowed on Rory McIlroy, as the Formula One world champion won the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award in Glasgow on Sunday evening.
With minutes to go before the winner was announced, McIlroy was heavily favoured to become the first golfer in 25 years to lift the trophy. Instead, Hamilton prevailed with 209, 920 telephone votes from 620,932 cast, with the golfer edged into second place on 123, 745. Athlete Jo Pavey, a source of inspiration to many on account of distance running heroics, took third on 99,931 votes.
McIlroy was the runaway favourite with bookmakers but instead it was Hamilton who was given the honour at the Glasgow ceremony, as a reward for winning his second drivers' world championship.
The decision - which is made by the public - was swiftly met with a mixture of anger and perplexion by some of the leading figures of golf, who rallied to McIlroy's cause.
His Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley, said he was “very disappointed. I don’t think that a golfer can have a better year than Rory did.
“Lewis Hamilton had a good year too but it would be difficult for any golfer to do better than Rory did this year.
“He’s a great guy who takes his responsibilities as the world’s No 1 player very seriously. We are lucky to have him. I don’t know why he didn’t win. I don’t know what the issues are but I don’t want to take away from Lewis Hamilton.”
On Twitter, McIlroy's supporters were equally quick to defend his corner. Luke Donald, the former world No1 and McIlroy's Ryder Cup teammate in 2012, wrote: "Lot of angry people on my timeline... Unfortunately as long as SPOTY continues to be a public vote then this will continue to happen!"
See our F1 related articles too!
