Lewis Hamilton has claimed the views of some older Formula 1 figures should not be shared when they promote discrimination.
The Mercedes driver made his comments after three-time world champion Nelson Piquet was condemned for describing him using a racist term in a video which circulated on social media this week. Piquet has been barred from the F1 paddock as a result of his comments and is being stripped of his honorary membership of the British Racing Drivers’ Club.
Formula Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone came to Piquet’s defence in a televised interview this morning, claiming Hamilton should have “brushed off” the comment. He also restated his praise for Vladimir Putin, despite the Russian president waging a war on Ukraine which has already killed thousands this year.
Speaking in the FIA press conference ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Hamilton said he was “incredibly grateful to all those that have been supportive within the sport, particularly the drivers” following Piquet’s comment. Several drivers publicly expressed support for Hamilton on social media after the remarks came to light.
Hamilton said the comments were typical of the abuse he continues to receive despite F1 having launched an anti-discrimination initiative in 2020.
“It’s been two years since many of us took the knee at the first race in Austria and of course we’re still faced with challenges,” he said. “I’ve been on the receiving end of racism and criticism and the negativity in archaic narratives for a long, long time, and undertones of discrimination. So there’s nothing really particularly new for me.”
He said F1 needs to consider “the bigger picture” and question why it gives prominence to past figures of the sport who do not share its current values.
“I’m not really sure, I don’t know why we are continuing to give these older voices a platform,” he said. “Because they are speaking upon our sport and we’re looking to go somewhere completely different. And it’s not representative, I think, of who we are as a sport now and where we’re planning to go.
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