EXCLUSIVE: F1 legend Lewis Hamilton backed over calls for MAJOR grand prix change

GPFans Exclusive

EXCLUSIVE: Hamilton backed over calls for MAJOR F1 change

Lewis Hamilton has publicly called for a change to the F1 calendar

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Monday 6 January 2025 09:12

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Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton has received backing from a fellow Formula 1 star following public requests for a major change to be made in the sport.

Hamilton finished the 2024 campaign sitting P7 in the 2024 drivers' standings, but the British star will be hoping his team switch to Ferrari this year can inspire championship success once again.

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Hamilton's switch to Ferrari is not the only driver change occurring in F1 this season, either, with his career-defining decision leading many drivers across the grid to switch teams or be dropped from the sport altogether.

Regulation changes are also on the horizon within the pinnacle of motorsport, with new rules set to shake up the order in 2026 along with an 11th team joining the paddock.

As the sport continues to change to meet growing interest, drivers and team principals alike have voiced concern over the demanding calendar, with the 2024 season providing fans with the most races in one year that F1 has ever seen.

Lewis Hamilton is now officially a Ferrari F1 driver

Hamilton championing new race bid

As the calendar chops and changes following the announcement that the Dutch Grand Prix will only remain as a venue for 2025, a new bid has been unveiled after frequent calls for the sport to return to Africa.

The continent does not currently host an F1 race but has done in the past, with the last event being the 1993 South African Grand Prix, which was held in Kyalami.

Now, F1 has moved closer to hosting an African GP once again, after the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, announced their bid to host a race weekend.

Often a champion of equality both on and off the track, seven-time champion Hamilton frequently raised the issue of the lack of African presence on the calendar this past year, claiming the sport: "can’t be adding races in other locations if you continue to ignore Africa."

Kyalami hosted the 1993 South African Grand Prix

Coulthard in support of F1's return to Africa

Speaking exclusively to GPFans following his own trip to South Africa as part of the Red Bull Showrun, former F1 driver David Coulthard has spoke of his experience racing in the continent and interacting with motorsport fans there, backing Hamilton's calls by describing the solid grassroots level of support that already exists there.

"It was a great event, very diverse crowd, impressive to see how the young generation continues to embrace Formula 1 and you know we default call it the Netflix generation don't we because that seems to have done so much and it's great," the ex-Red Bull star explained.

"I'm just a grown-up fan of the sport and I still have a bit of fun jumping in the car," Coulthard admitted, who still carries out duties behind the wheel for Red Bull in his role as a team ambassador.

Former F1 racer David Coulthard continues to interact with fans at the Red Bull Showrun events

Discussing the hunger for motorsport there, Coulthard continued: "They've actually got a round of the Rally World Championship going to South Africa as well so there's definitely an appetite on the continent,"

"Lewis of course is the most high-profile figure that's been pushing to have representation on the continent and whether it's South Africa, whether it's Rwanda, we'll find out but it was anyway reassuring for me to see that it already at that level, grassroots level, it seems they're spreading the love between men and women."

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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