'Empowered' Hamilton hopes to encourage others to speak out in 2021

Lewis Hamilton

'Empowered' Hamilton hopes to encourage others to speak out in 2021

Hamilton's on and off track achievements received widespread praise in 2020

Ewan Gale

Monday 4 January 2021 07:00

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Lewis Hamilton has expressed his hope that others will speak out against "issues around the world" after he led the charge for change in F1 last year.

On-track 2020 was an astonishing year for Hamilton as he scored 11 victories, 10 pole positions and equalled Michael Schumacher's record of seven world drivers' titles.

However, it is not difficult to argue that the driver's greatest successes came away from the track as Hamilton pressured Formula 1 and the wider society to be better.

“I think its been important this year to speak out and not stay silent," Hamilton said.

"Particularly when there are so many issues around the world and a lot of us feel like we are made to stay silent or have to stay silent because that’s what people expect or that’s what the system wants you to do.

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“So I think it's been an empowering year in freeing myself and being open to speaking and I’m hoping encouraging other people to do the same.”

In launching 'The Hamilton Commission', Hamilton proved is willing to back up his words with actions - the commission built with the aim of identifying "the key barriers to recruitment and progression of Black people in UK motorsport, and to provide actionable recommendations to overcome them".

In recognition of not just Hamilton's efforts but of the wider need for change, Mercedes ditched its regular silver paintwork in 2020 and ran a predominantly black livery.

Grateful for his team's efforts, Hamilton conceded there are too many issues for him to address alone and called on others to pull together to enact change.

“I think it’s the growth, it’s the journey as a team. The highs and the lows, particularly the lows where we really have to pull together," he continued. “There’s a bunch of stuff we have to do. There’s a bunch of stuff that I’ve got to do. I’ve got to help more young kids get through school, I’ve got to help more young kids get into university and I’ve got to help more young kids get into Formula 1 and engineering.

“There’s just an endless amount of stuff to do and there’s not an endless amount of time so becoming more efficient, acting on things you say, pulling together people who are talented and who are driven and who are on a similar wavelength to you. “Pulling them together and utilising them, getting people working, that’s what I’m driven to do."