BREAKING NEWS: ‘That doesn’t stop me’ -Lewis Hamilton responds directly to Donald Trump threat
Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has long been a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in the sport and beyond. However, his efforts are now facing a significant challenge from the United States’ new president, Donald Trump. Trump has signed a series of executive orders aimed at cutting back on “Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion” initiatives in business, which could potentially undermine the progress made by Hamilton and others in the sport.
Hamilton, who recently joined Ferrari after a successful stint with Mercedes, has been a driving force behind the push for greater diversity and inclusion in Formula One. In November last year, he and every F1 team signed up to a diversity and inclusion charter, pledging to promote equality and opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Despite the challenges posed by Trump’s executive orders, Hamilton remains committed to his mission. “I’m not going to change what he does, or the government does,” he told TIME magazine. “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.”
Hamilton’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion have already had a significant impact on his former team, Mercedes. During his time with the team, Hamilton played a key role in transforming the team’s culture and makeup. The team even changed its livery to black in response to the murder of George Floyd in 2020, and later that year, trackside engineer Stephanie Travers became the first black woman to stand on an F1 podium.
However, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari presents a new challenge. The Italian team has a very different culture and makeup, and Hamilton is aware that he will have to start from scratch to promote diversity and inclusion. “I did think, oh my God, I’ve finally got a more diverse working environment that we’ve built over time,” he said. “Now I’m going back to the beginning of my time with Mercedes, where it wasn’t diverse.”
Hamilton is also aware of the potential for racist abuse, something that he has experienced firsthand in the past. In 2008, he was subjected to racist taunts from some members of the crowd at the Catalunya Grand Prix. However, he remains optimistic that he will not face similar abuse in Italy. “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.”
Despite the challenges ahead, Hamilton remains committed to his mission to promote diversity and inclusion. His determination and leadership have already had a significant impact on the sport, and he is likely to continue to be a driving force for change in the years to come.
