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Lewis Hamilton explains what drove him to use his influence as a Formula 1 driver and champion to fight for issues he believes are important.
In 2020 Lewis Hamilton was more vocal than ever on issues that plague today’s world. Among them issues like social and racial injustice, lack of diversity in motorsport and environmental issues.
The Briton explains what drove him to use his platform to fight for the causes he believes in.
“I would say that there have been multiple humbling experiences this year, and I do remember having the feeling of not just wanting to be a sportsman,” Hamilton explained to ESPN.
“I was wondering, all this winning, what does it really mean if you can’t have an impact? If you can’t help change things for the positive?
“I do all these other things now and, in some senses, whilst this [F1] is my primary job and primary focus, when I am out doing those things, it’s almost like F1 is my side job!
“I’m like, ‘I also race and drive pretty well!’ But I try to be good at these other things too.
“Ultimately we all have values and most of us, I think, have good intentions and want to do something positive, and want to have some sort of impact — whether it’s for your kids, whether it’s for your family, whether it’s for the people that you work with, whatever it may be.
“I am not yet at my full potential, and there is more to do. I’m trying to learn as much as I can, but there’s a lot more to do.”
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One of the major things the Briton did to promote diversity in motorsport is starting the Hamilton Commission, an organization tasked with tackling this important issue.
“What I’ve realized, particularly this year, is I think I have a responsibility to the F1 community for what it has helped me create to push for that change.
“If I don’t push forwards and make sure that this Hamilton Commission actually delivers, this sport is not going to be more diverse in the next 5-10 years. So I have got to stay on top of it, I’ve got to be engaged, I’ve got to continue to keep people on their toes.
“And I think this year with me being outspoken, while perhaps some people would perhaps prefer that I didn’t speak out in public and push for certain things, I think that’s my responsibility.
“Getting this sport to be more diverse in the future, I 100 percent believe I can be a part of that change.
“And keeping these conversations going is really holding people accountable, and I am not afraid of doing that naturally, as you’ve seen. If I don’t do it, who will?”
The seven-time champion says the important thing is to set an example for the younger generation to not stay silent on important issues.
“[This year has] definitely brought things more to the surface, and I’ve felt that taking that step and really using my voice is important.
“There are so many people out there who have just stayed silent. I’m sure there’s moments in your life that maybe you’ve kept your mouth shut just for a moment because you know that there’s a bigger fight to fight further along or something was at risk.
“And I think there’s people out there — particularly kids hopefully moving forwards — that will see so many that have been outspoken on certain issues this year, that this is a time to be more outspoken, this is a time to push for change.
“And I’ve experienced that too and I hope young kids particularly see that I have taken that step, and so we have, and so should they,” concluded Hamilton.
