six-time champion Hamilton, the only black driver on the grid, spoke out after winning Sundays Hungarian Grand Prix to go top of the embryonic drivers championship after three races
Lewis Hamilton takes a knee ahead of Austrian GP. Pic/AFP
Formula One bosses reacted to Lewis Hamilton's stinging criticism of their confused anti-racism efforts by saying that the sport is on course to make lasting changes.
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Formula One responded overnight on Sunday: "Ending racism and increasing diversity and inclusion in F1 is a clear priority. We set out our plans for diversity and inclusion last November and have in recent weeks announced additional plans to create a Taskforce to tackle these issues and a foundation with over $1 million already donated to create apprenticeships and job opportunities for under represented groups."
Six-time champion Hamilton, the only black driver on the grid, spoke out after winning Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix to go top of the embryonic drivers' championship after three races.
He said F1 was not doing enough, lacked leadership and had presented a campaign that required better coordination. He said the sport's 'We Race As One' campaign had made no progress since its pre-season launch. Following another hurried and shambolic pre-race anti-racism ceremony, during which several drivers took a knee while others stood, arrived late or remained absent, Hamilton said he would write to F1 chief Chase Carey.
"They've got to do a better job. It was such a rush, us getting out of the car, running over, quickly doing the knee. They need to do more. I don't know why they've only done it for the first race. They did it at the start, but they've not done it since then. They've come out saying they're going to be fighting for diversity and end racism, but they're not giving us the platform to continue that," Hamilton said.
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