Lewis Hamilton said Formula 1 should reject “older voices” as it focuses on becoming a more inclusive sport.
The seven-time world champion, who is the only black driver in F1 history, suggested people with “archaic” views shouldn’t be given a platform to make offensive comments.
“I’ve been on the receiving end of racism, criticism, negativity and archaic narratives, for a long, long time, and undertones of discrimination,” Hamilton told reporters Thursday ahead of the British Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton speaks during a press conference on Thursday, June 30, 2022, ahead of the Great Britain Grand Prix. ANP via Getty Images“I don’t know why we are continuing to give these older voices a platform,” he continued. “They’re speaking on our sport and we’re looking to go somewhere completely different, and I don’t think it’s representative of who we are as a sport and where we’re planning to go.”
Hamilton, 37, was reacting to comments previously made by three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, who directed a racial slur at the Mercedes driver in a resurfaced podcast episode from last year.
Picquet, 69, issued an apology Wednesday to Hamilton over the “ill-thought out” comment.
Formula 1 condemned Nelson Piquet for using a racial slur against Lewis Hamilton in an interview. AP
In response to comments made by former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, F1 issued a statement that read: “The comments made by Bernie Ecclestone are his personal views and are in very stark contrast to position of the modern values of our sport.” Getty ImagesFormer longtime F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone went on to defend Piquet when he suggested Hamilton should “brush aside” the remarks.
In an apparent response to Ecclestone’s interview Thursday on ITV’s “Good Morning Britain,” Hamilton added: “No one should have to brush off racism, and it shouldn’t be for me to brush it off.”
Hamilton also slammed the network for offering a platform to Ecclestone, 91, who defended Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine during the interview, and said he would “take a bullet” for the Russian President.
Lewis Hamilton speaks at a press conference in June 2022. AFP via Getty Images“There needs to be some accountability,” Hamilton continued. “You know what you’re going to get [with Ecclestone].
“I don’t know what their [the broadcaster’s] goal is. To hear from someone that ultimately believes in the war, displacement of millions of people, and the killing of thousands of people; the person who’s doing that, they support him. And I can’t believe that’s what I heard today.”
Formula 1 was quick to distance itself from Ecclestone’s remarks on Thursday.
“The comments made by Bernie Ecclestone are his personal views and are in very stark contrast to position of the modern values of our sport,” an F1 statement read.
