Hamilton visits World Expo 2010 in Shanghai

F1 Grand Prix, GP China, Shanghai International Ciruit

Standing in front of the Seed Cathedral, Lewis Hamilton addresses a group of attentive Chinese journalists. He casts his eyes over his audience, but can’t help looking over his right shoulder to take in the unique view just one more time.

Created by architect Thomas Heatherwick, and the centrepiece of the United Kingdom’s pavilion at Shanghai’s colossal Expo 2010, the Seed Cathedral is a unique sculptural vision that’s been designed to place the country firmly on the Asian map – in more ways than one.

When Expo 2010 opens at the start of May, more than 70 million visitors from across the globe are expected to wander in and around this strange exhibit. The structure is constructed from 60,000 acrylic rods, each containing an individual seed at the base, and which gently wave in Shanghai’s chilly morning wind.

It’s a unique, and beguiling, sight – and one that can’t help but capture the imagination. The city’s populace has already nicknamed the structure ‘the dandelion’ – and it’s not hard to see why.

But while the Seed Cathedral may look impressive, its beauty, complexity and sheer technical accomplishment are all useful and valuable symbols of the modern British nation.

Those descriptions are equally apt when describing Formula 1, a sport that has forged deep roots in the UK. And who better to embody both the British nation and the sport than Lewis Hamilton? The 25-year-old from Hertfordshire is a poster-boy for just what’s possible when you take the possibilities on offer and apply grit, talent and determination to get to the very top.

“I’ve been absolutely blown away by both the Expo and this stunning building,” said Lewis. “It’s great that the UK pavilion at Expo 2010 is being used to showcase the incredible culture, heritage, technology and vision of the United Kingdom.

“I’m incredibly proud of my roots – and I want to help show the rest of the world what a dynamic, youthful and vibrant place we live in. At McLaren, we’re also incredibly proud to be the very first company to visit the pavilion for a media event. The team has a number of very important Chinese partners, and the whole company understands the possibilities for growth and business within China.”