Lewis Hamilton backs F1 WRAO stance but calls for sport to be "more impactful"

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton backs F1 WRAO stance but calls for sport to be "more impactful"

Hamilton has led the sport's charge for change

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Sunday 27 February 2022 12:30

Lewis Hamilton has backed F1's stance on the WeRaceAsOne messaging but called for the sport to be "more impactful" on societal topics moving forward.

F1 will no longer allow drivers to take part in a formal WRAO 'moment' ahead of the start of a grand prix, although the sport has insisted it will not prevent drivers from showing their own backing for causes they believe in.

Part of the decision to remove the moment was F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali's wish to show more "action" on such topics, rather than purely drawing attention to them.

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The decision seemingly baffled a number of drivers when announced, with Sebastian Vettel explaining he wasn't consulted ahead of the WRAO moment's removal, despite being one of the most vocal drivers on equality and director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association whilst Lando Norris said he "couldn't accept doing nothing".

Speaking at the Barcelona test, however, Hamilton backed F1's stance.

Asked what could be done moving forward, the seven-time champion replied: "I have not put a huge amount of thought to it but I do think what Stefano said made sense, that it is about action now.

"So that is something I look forward and hope we will see over a period of time.

"Things like, for example, I had a great call last year with all the teams about getting included in this charter, so every team is trying to push for diversity.

"I guess really instead of just talking about these things and making those gestures, really pushing.

"But I don't know whether we need to have that one moment, we should be able to do it at any stage really but I did feel like the overall slogan last year with all the different things compounded into one... I think we can do more and be more impactful somehow.

"I don't know what that is just yet."