The messages are now followed by concrete actions. Lewis Hamilton knows that no word has weight without concrete action, and after taking a stand on many issues related to social equality, his foundation has begun to take its first steps.
One of the initiatives that will carry on the foundation that Hamilton established together with Mercedes (the Mission 44, which started with a donation of 20 million pounds guaranteed by Lewis), aims to guarantee a school and university course aimed at young people who aspire to enter in the world of motorsport.
In a video published yesterday by Mercedes, the journey of three aspiring engineers selected in an elementary school in Camdem is told, taken for a whole day to the Brackley headquarters where surprisingly during a factory tour they met Hamilton, wearing make-up and masked for the ‘occasion.
Lewis himself went to the origin of this desire, in an interview with the WSJ in which he recounted his fifteen-year journey in Formula 1, revealing unpublished episodes that played an important role in determining the choice to expose himself in the first place. person in support of the cause of diversity.
Hamilton recounted an episode of racism that took place in Formula 1 and dating back to 2008, when Spanish fans showed up in the stands in Barcelona with their faces painted black wearing T-shirts with the words “Hamilton Family”.
“I remember the pain I felt that day – revealed Lewis – but I didn’t talk about it with anyone because nobody said anything, everyone remained silent. I had realized my dream (it was the year of the first world title) but I wasn’t happy, I couldn’t be myself “.
“At that time I didn’t have the confidence on what I could do, so I forced myself to rest assured, and I suppressed many sensations even in the following seasons. Then at the end of 2014 or 2015 I remember that with all the team members a photos of Brackley together with the trophies won, and I focused on a particular: it was a team of only white people, with very few exceptions, and so did all the other Formula 1 teams. I enlarged the group photos of many teams and I saw that nothing had changed, and I remember the frustration ”.
“I said to myself: ‘I’m 36, why me? Why am I the only black driver who made it to Formula 1 and was also successful? There must be a bigger reason I’m here. ‘
The spring came with the death of George (Floyd, killed by a police officer in Minneapolis during an arrest), an episode that hit me really hard. I couldn’t believe that so many people were unaware of what happened, and so I said to myself:
“You know what? I’m willing to take the risk, even if it’s my working reputation doesn’t matter. I really want the black community to know I’m with them, I won’t be indifferent.”
In June 2020 Hamilton joined the Black Lives Matter movement, actively participating in an event held in London, and immediately afterwards he decided to take a strong position also in the context of the Formula 1 race weekends, also involving other drivers, a shock important never seen before.
“From the beginning I understood that to enter Formula 1 you have to be very aligned – continued Hamilton in his story – otherwise you immediately understood that you were not welcome. The pilots lived a very similar life, for example no one was interested in fashion, no one was exposed to activities far from motorsport. At the beginning they made me understand that I had to adapt to the rules, but I didn’t feel comfortable, I wanted to do other things too, and at a certain point I decided to act ”.
Now Lewis’ action also moves through the foundation. Hamilton partnered with the Royal Academy of Engineering, releasing a report last July that revealed that less than 1% of people working in Formula 1 are black.
“Last year only 3% of the staff on our team were black – underlined Hamilton – now we are at 6%, and we aim to reach 25% in the next four years. I hope that in the next ten or fifteen years of seeing a Formula 1 more in line with the outside world, obviously I will not race forever, but if I can see this change I can say that the time spent here was well spent, that it was worth it. really worth it “.
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