Lewis Hamilton has pledged to ‘make a change’ and get to the bottom of motorsport’s diversity problems as he names the members of his new commission today.
The six-time world champion launched the Hamilton Commission in June in a bid to boost BAME representation across the sport.
The 35-year-old remains Formula One’s sole black driver and so partnered with the Royal Academy of Engineering earlier this summer to try and make the sport ‘become as diverse as the complex and multicultural world we live in’.
The Mercedes star has been vocal in his support for the anti-racism campaign and has been wearing a ‘Black Lives Matter’ t-shirt on the grid all season to date.
The six-time world champion recently escaped punishment for carrying the slogan: ‘Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor,’ in reference to the black woman who was killed by police in Kentucky in March, after winning the Tuscany Grand Prix earlier this month.
Lewis Hamilton, pictured taking a knee and wearing a t-shirt with the message ‘arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor’, has pledged to ‘make a change’ and get to the bottom of motorsport’s diversity problems as he names the members of his new commission today
The driver raises a fist as he stands on the podium in a stand against racism at the Austrian Grand Prix in July
The six-time world champion, pictured taking a knee and wearing a ‘Black Lives Matter’ t-shirt in July, launched the Hamilton Commission the previous month in a bid to boost BAME representation across the sport
The commission’s 14-strong board was announced today and includes MP Tracey Crouch, who once served as sports minister, and Hamilton’s former McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh.
Other members include leaders from a number of influential charities and organisations, many of which have been flying the flag for racial equality.
The group, which vows to deliver recommendations that will benefit young black people wishing to work in motorsport, will meet quarterly.
Hamilton said: ‘Since I began my professional racing career in Formula One, 14 years ago, I was the first driver of colour and to this day, sadly that is still the case.
‘However, what is more concerning is that there are still very few people of colour across the sport as a whole.
‘In F1, our teams are much bigger than the athletes that front them, but representation is insufficient across every skill set – from the garage to the engineers in the factories and design departments.
‘Change isn’t coming quickly enough, and we need to know why.
‘This is why I wanted to set up the commission and I’m proud to be working with the Royal Academy of Engineering and our incredible board of commissioners to identify the barriers facing young black people to take up STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers in motorsport.
‘We are dedicated to this cause and together, we will make a change.’
Hamilton, who on Wednesday was named in Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people this year, believes winning a record-equalling seventh world championship against the backdrop of his fight against racism will rank as his greatest achievement.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team are running an all-black livery to highlight his battle.
The world champions have also pledged to improve diversity within their own corridors.
The team, which is based in Northamptonshire, revealed ahead of the new season, that just three per cent of its workforce comes from a minority ethnic group, while only 12 per cent are female.
The commission’s 14-strong board was announced today and includes MP Tracey Crouch, who once served as sports minister
Hamilton was this week criticised by his former F1 rival Vitaly Petrov for being ‘overzealous’ in his approach to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
The FIA are keen to work with Hamilton but want to protect their status as a strictly non-political organisation.
Former Renault driver Petrov has since said he felt the Brit had taken it ‘too far’ by wearing controversial T-shirts.
‘For me, this t-shirt, on top of calling for everyone to kneel, was too much,’ the Russian told Championat.
‘It is a personal matter for every adult. You have the right to speak out on social media or give interviews, but I think the US government is well aware of these problems already.
‘But to call on that in Formula 1 itself… I think half of the spectators didn’t even know what the shirt was about until it was explained to them.
‘And let’s say a driver admits to being gay – will they come out with a rainbow flag and urge everyone to become gay as well? I think the FIA will no longer allow such behaviours.’
Some F1 drivers have opted not to kneel before each race this season and Petrov said that Russians – including Daniil Kvyat – do not kneel for any reason except ‘before God and to propose to your future wife’.
Woke or bloke? How do F1 champs Hunt and Hamilton measure up side to side?
James Hunt driver was a notorious hellraiser and lived to the limit of excess, while still managing to be at the top of his game.
Here we look at how he compared to Lewis Hamilton, a more modern athlete at a similar stage at his career.
FOOD AND DRINK
Lewis Hamilton lives a clean cut lifestyle of food and drink – James Hunt did not
HAMILTON: Known for his vegan diet and drinks no alcohol. The superstar driver is so keen on plant based foods he invested in a restaurant chain, called Neat Burger.
HUNT: Once drank an entire plane dry after his famous 1976 win and was an enthusiastic drug taker.
PRE-RACE RITUALS
Hamilton keeps pre-races simple, while Hunt liked to have a clear-out before racing
HAMILTON: Listens to music before he drives and researches his way away the track.
HUNT: Would often be sick before a race – sparked by nerves and on occasion the result of a drink and drugs binge.
WOMEN
Both men have been involved with some of the world’s most beautiful women
HAMILTON: In 2018 he said his love life was ‘non-existent’ because he had no time for it.
HUNT: Famously said he had slept with 5,000 women in his lifetime, including 33 British Airways air stewardesses.
FASHION
Hamilton has sported some unusual outfits in the past, as did Hunt during his life
HAMILTON: A keen fashionista who has at times sparked mockery from fans over his sartorial choices.
HUNT: Once refused to sign a clause in his McLaren contract for the 1976 that stipulated he wear a suit and tie to functions.