Formula 1

F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Would Rather not Race Again than Stay Quiet on Issues of Racism

Lewis Hamilton, seven-time F1 champion, has declared that he would rather not race again than stay quiet on issues of racism. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Hamilton spoke about the many barriers that still exist in spite of the progress made towards combating racism and inequality.

This statement comes after the FIA introduced regulations prohibiting drivers from making personal, political, and religious statements. Hamilton, who has been a vocal advocate for social justice issues, has taken various steps to address these issues in the world of motorsports. He established the Hamilton Commission and Mission 44, and has worked with Mercedes on the Accelerate 25 program, which aims to increase diversity in motorsports.

In addition to these efforts, Hamilton played a significant role in encouraging other drivers to take a knee before Grand Prix races in 2020 as a way to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and the #WeRaceAsOne initiative. This gesture, which became a widely recognized symbol of the fight against racial injustice, was embraced by many in the motorsports community and beyond.

He said the following:

“There are still so many barriers still in place. Hopefully, it’s not going to be like this for much longer but it’s just sad to see we are still finding those things today.

“If I don’t have these conversations with people, if I don’t bring up these difficult conversations, they won’t necessarily get discussed or tackled, or energy from organisations won’t necessarily be put into creating more inclusivity.

“Spending the time having those conversations and what it means and how positive it could be for everybody, it takes time. It’s a constant job to have them.”

Referring to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement in 2020 following the tragic death of George Floyd, Hamilton continued:

“I’ve definitely seen so much growth within myself over several years now. But 2020 was hugely impactful in terms of my spirit and how strong and empowered I felt, to stand up and be outspoken.

“Regardless of what the outcome would be in terms of if you have people unhappy, just knowing that things needed to be said, needed to be done because there are so many people struggling.

“I would rather not race again and have done that and spoken out for people than continue to do what I was doing.”

Despite the progress made, Hamilton emphasized that there is still much work to be done in the fight against racism and inequality. He stated that he would rather not continue racing than stay silent on these important issues, and urged others to join him in standing up for what is right.

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