"I'm speechless," said the 29-year-old after a British public vote that overturned the betting form. Bookmakers had given golfer Rory McIlroy as the clear favourite.
"I really was not expecting it. Dude, you had such an amazing year," he told McIlroy at the ceremony in Glasgow, western Scotland. "Never in a million years did I think I would be up here standing
with the greats."
WALKING THE DOG
He had walked the pre-event red
carpet with his bulldog Roscoe.
McIlroy won two major golf tournaments in 2014 and helped Europe to retain the Ryder Cup but was a forlorn-looking runner-up with European 10 000m running champion Jo Pavey third.
Bookmaker William Hill had listed the Northern Irishman at 2/5 earlier on Sunday (Dec 14) with Hamilton, runner-up for the award in 2007 and again when he won his first title with McLaren in 2008, the 7/4 second favourite.
Hamilton is the fifth racing driver to win the award in 61 years. Champions Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell each won twice after Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart before them.
The Team of the Year award went to England's World Cup-winning female rugby players; Europe's triumphant Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley was Coach of the Year.
Real Madrid soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo took the overseas personality-of-the-year prize.