Lewis Hamilton recently announced the formation of his very own electric off-road Extreme E racing team, named X44!
Hamilton was asked about the process of forming his new outfit.
“In terms of recruitment, we’re already working on that now, trying to find and create opportunities, particularly for minorities – you don’t see very many in the paddock in terms of mechanics and engineers.
“We’re looking at potentially working with the Royal Academy of Engineering in London. Hopefully the commission [The Hamilton Commission, Hamilon’s research partnership aimed at making motorsport more diverse] will also contribute to us doing a better job, and understanding the barriers.
“We’re hopefully going to be working on scholarship programmes, so we have youngsters coming through.”
“In terms of the drivers, I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll be taking on super experience or I’ll be giving a couple of youngsters a go – I don’t know yet.
“It’s an exciting prospect and the whole build up has been exciting so far.
“I said that we needed to have females in it, so we’ve got female drivers now, which is awesome. I’m glad that I can contribute in a positive way hopefully.”
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Hamilton explained that the creation of his XE team is part of “long-term, rest of life changes that I’m making in my life”, and “very much aligned with what I’m really focussed on right now”.
However, some are questioning Hamilton’s devotion to environmentalism in light of involvement in Formula 1.
“It’s difficult because there are people who are like ‘yeah, but you race a Formula 1 car around every weekend’,“ the Briton explained.
“I think ultimately probably some of it is education, because not everyone knows the footprint that our sport currently has and what we’re doing in terms of trying to improve that.
“But what I’ve tried to say is ‘look, I’m making a lot of changes in my personal life’. Like, I don’t drive any of the cars that I own any more – I only drive my EQC [Mercedes’ electric SUV] – and I have a Smart electric.
“And if I get picked up at the airports I request to have an electric car – it’s not always [an] electric car that can fit all my luggage in!
“I’m trying my best, whilst still I’m doing what I love doing, and I think helping to put pressure on people here in [F1] – because they’ve got lots of areas which we can be way more sustainable.
“I think I’ve got more power to shift it from within, rather than retire and do it from that side,” concluded Hamilton.