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Lewis Hamilton praises Mercedes for its determination and focus and applauds the team for ‘taking the knee’ at the Styrian Grand Prix.
Formula 1 stood united against racial injustice in the first two races of the 2020 season and this was demonstrated by most drivers ‘taking the knee’ before the race as a stance against racism.
“We’re learning along the way. I think this weekend the drivers spoke after the drivers’ briefing about what we intended to do,” said Hamilton.
“The question was how long do we… some people were asking how long do we have to continue to do this?
“Some felt like one was enough last week and I just had to encourage them that racism is here, going to be here for probably longer than our time here, and people of colour who are subject to racism don’t have time to take a moment to protest and that be it.”
However, before the Styrian Grand Prix, the Mercedes team also ‘took the knee’ is support of the anti-racism message.
“We’ve got to continue to push for equality and really to continue to raise awareness of it, so I don’t really know what else we can do moving forward, but for me to have Valtteri [Bottas] and my team also lining and acknowledging and kneeling before the start of the race I think was really huge and I’m incredibly grateful for their understanding and this contribution to it.”
“I didn’t see it exactly,” Hamilton explained to Sky Sports F1.
“I was told just before the race that we’re going to do it. It’s not something I asked for them to do, but it’s a beautiful thing.
“It doesn’t take a lot to do something like that, and it’s not changing the world, but perhaps shifting of perceptions and shifting ideals. We’ll just keep going.”
Hamilton went on to praise Mercedes for its continued determination and focus.
“We’ve had so much success over these years and the easiest thing is to lose focus, to ease up and lose determination I guess.
“I don’t see that ever happening in this team, it just doesn’t seem to exist with us. The guys back at the factory are relentless. The guys here [at the track] continue to be passionate about what they do.
“We are so united and you saw today on the grid we all took the knee together and that’s shown [that] with Mercedes we are learning along the way, and they’re learning on the way, and being accepting of change.
“But also when we’re talking about the car, they jump straight on it, they don’t jump to conclusions, they do great research and this weekend we’ve not had any problems thankfully.
“Still there’s a long way to go and it’s a challenge for everyone with their cars but this was a step forwards for sure,” concluded the Briton.
