Lewis Hamilton reveals F1 challenge 'MORE important' than eighth title

Hamilton, Mercedes, championship, 2020 — Photo: © LAT Images

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Hamilton reveals F1 challenge 'MORE important' than eighth title

The Brit has long pushed to achieve his biggest goal

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 3 December 2023 12:01 Updated: 16:42

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Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has said that his fight towards a more diverse Formula 1 is more important to him than on-track achievements.

Hamilton is largely regarded to be one of the most successful F1 drivers of all time, holding the record for the most amount of career race victories, pole positions, and the joint-record with Michael Schumacher for the number of world championships.

Whilst his performances on-track have taken a turn for the worse, after suffering two seasons in an underperforming Mercedes car, Hamilton has switched his attentions to improving the sport from a different standpoint.

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In 2020 the Brit launched The Hamilton Commission, a programme which works to improve the representation of black people in UK motorsport.

Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time world champion in Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton has been very vocal on the issues facing motorsport and society in general

Lewis Hamilton is still the only black driver to have completed a race in Formula 1

Mercedes photo underlines failings

A year later in 2021 when he was in the midst of an almighty title battle with Max Verstappen, Hamilton pledged £20 million to the creation of Mission 44, a foundation that helps to educate, employ and empower young people from under-represented backgrounds.

Now, Hamilton has revealed that these projects haven't as of yet gone as far as he'd like.

“It's more important for me [than any on-track achievements]," he said.

“Honestly, it's been a long process. It started really here in 2019.

“I'm not going to lie. We just did a team photo and I still look and I'm like, ‘Damn, we still have so much work to do’.

“There's three people of colour, for example. But there are a lot more women. But still, that needs to shift.

“If I contrast that to 2019, I'm going to be pretty sure that it's not moved anywhere near as much as it should have. So, the challenge is to see how we shift that.”

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Formula 1 Michael Schumacher Jody Scheckter