Lewis Hamilton says he will continue to promote diversity and inclusion despite American president Donald Trump’s attacks on the programmes.
Five years ago, while he was at Mercedes, Hamilton launched The Hamilton Commission to promote diversity in British motorsport. Hamilton, who joined Ferrari this year, told Time magazine he was pleased with the progress they made.
“I did think, oh my god, I’ve finally got a more diverse working environment that we’ve built over time,” Hamilton said. “And now I’m going back to the beginning of my time with Mercedes, where it wasn’t diverse.”
Diversity, equality and inclusion programmes of the type Hamilton promoted have been high-profile victims of Trump’s return to the US presidency last month. He has cancelled government initiatives to promote individuals from under-represented groups and pressured American businesses to do the same. Trump also leapt on the opportunity to blame diversity programmes for the deaths of 67 people in an aeroplane crash in Washington, without offering any evidence to support his claim.
Hamilton, who has a residence in Colorado and is involved in some US businesses, said he will not be diverted from promoting diversity causes.
“I’m not going to change what he does, or the government does,” he said. “All I can do is try to make sure that in my space, in my environment, I’m trying to elevate people.
“There’s going to be forces along the way that don’t want that, for whatever reason I can’t fathom. That doesn’t stop me. It is a fight that we’ll just keep fighting.”
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He admitted recent racist incidents involving Italian football players gave him some concern about his change of teams. “I’m not going to lie, it definitely crossed my mind when I was thinking about my decision,” he said.
“Like in so many things, it’s often such a small group of people that set that trend for many. I don’t think that it’s going to be a problem.”
His decision to join Ferrari prompted sceptical reactions from some commentators, notably former Formula 1 team principal Eddie Jordan and Alpine consultant Flavio Briatore. Hamilton dismissed their criticisms.
“I’ve always welcomed the negativity,” saids Hamilton. “I never, ever reply to any of the older, ultimately, white men who have commented on my career and what they think I should be doing. How you show up, how you present yourself, how you perform slowly dispels that.”
Hamilton also said he was untroubled by former team principal Toto Wolff’s remark that “everyone has a shelf life” – which Wolff said was “taken out of context” – and insisted he can continue to race competitively past his 40th birthday.
“Don’t ever compare me to anybody else,” said Hamilton. “I’m the first and only black driver that’s ever been in this sport. I’m built different.
“I’ve been through a lot. I’ve had my own journey. You can’t compare me to another 40-year-old, past or present, Formula 1 driver in history. Because they are nothing like me. I’m hungry, driven, don’t have a wife and kids. I’m focused on one thing, and that’s winning. That’s my number one priority.”
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