Tears and cheers at champs homecoming

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WOKING

Newly-crowned Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton made an emotional return to the McLaren headquarters on Wednesday and promised the adoring workforce that he would stay with the team.

The factory, 32 kms south of London, produced the car he drove in Sunday’s nerve-shredding finale in Brazil and the 23-year-old Briton arrived in it to a roar of adulation.

Formula One’s youngest world champion was blinded by a sea of flashing cameras as he mounted a platform groaning with the trophies accumulated from the last two seasons — 22 podium finishes from 35 races.

More than 1,000 employees, almost all of them glowing in the company’s luminous orange livery and many of them wet-eyed with emotion, provided a vivid backdrop as they crowded round to hear their hero offer his thanks.

"When I think back to when I was 13 and visited the old factory, and everything that has happened since and now here we are — world champions," he proclaimed, to a roar of approval. "I’ve been seeing so many of you for years and to know I’m part of this team and can make so many people so happy, I’m a bit overwhelmed."

Hamilton moved through the throng, posing for photographs and signing autographs.

— Reuters