Hamilton - "Billionaire boys club" F1 inaccessible to "working-class" drivers

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has labelled F1 a "billionaire boys club" and one which he feels he would now be unable to break into as a young talent.

Hamilton was raised on a council estate in Stevenage with father Anthony working numerous jobs simply to fund the future F1 champion's junior racing career.

The divide between those with money and those without has always been evident in motorsport but the Mercedes driver now believes that gap has grown so wide that there is "no way" a talent could replicate his rise through the ranks.

Speaking in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, Hamilton said: "For me, personally, we're living in a time that this is really a billionaire boys club.

"If I go back to where I started, growing up in a normal working-class family, there's no way that I could be here. No way. All the guys that you're fighting against just have that much more money.

"I think for the future we've got to work to change that. To make it more accessible, to people from rich and more normal backgrounds."

Unwilling to "pass judgement" on the younger generation of driver's entering the sport, Hamilton was asked if he felt title rival Max Verstappen was his natural successor at the top.

"I don't know," he answered. "I think there's a great group of young talent here.

"Given the opportunity, I think Lando [Norris] for me has a huge amount of potential. And so does Charles [Leclerc]. I can't predict which one of these is going to be out in front leading this sport."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Red Bull designer 'always looks stressed' as Max Verstappen staff nickname revealed by F1 insider

• 3 hours ago

Kim Kardashian shares adorable selfie with Lewis Hamilton as couple enjoy 'summer at the lake'

• Yesterday 22:30

Max Verstappen risks losing Red Bull preference to his team-mate, claims F1 star

• Yesterday 21:44

Aston Martin confirm two-phase plan to start challenging F1 rivals and claim there is more to come

• Yesterday 20:55

Max Verstappen 'regrets' F1 team decision, claims former Red Bull chief

• Yesterday 19:44

Lewis Hamilton admits 'distrust' from Ferrari team after difficult period

• Yesterday 18:45