EXCLUSIVE: Mercedes F1 star Lewis Hamilton's 'POWERFUL' allyship as Racing Pride call for grassroots change

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EXCLUSIVE: Hamilton's 'POWERFUL' allyship as Racing Pride call for grassroots change

GPFans spoke exclusively to Racing Pride about the issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community in motorsport

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 25 July 2024 03:00

The discussion surrounding LGBTQ+ inclusion in Formula 1 has developed in recent days after Ralf Schumacher's Instagram post revealed he was in a same-sex relationship.

Many prominent figures in the sport, such as Lewis Hamilton, have praised the announcement whilst calling for F1 support the community further.

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In an exclusive interview with Racing Pride’s CEO and co-founder, Richard Morris, GPFans explored Hamilton’s allyship, and how the organization works with F1 teams.

Morris also revealed the biggest challenge facing the LGBTQ+ community in F1, and how crucial it is to create change at a grassroots level as well as in the paddock.

Who are Racing Pride?

The lack of visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals in the sport, in addition to ‘unhelpful language’ in and around racing paddocks, emphasized the need to bring together a network of people with similar experiences.

The organization is UK-based, and as it has involved, it has not only promoted the visibility of LGBTQ+ people in motorsport, but worked with their partners to aid inclusion.

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A post shared by McLaren (@mclaren)

Racing Pride’s partners include five F1 teams - McLaren, Aston Martin, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Alpine - and Morris provided insight into how they work with these teams.

“What I really noticed when we went and spoke to people in the team [McLaren] was that they felt that this was a conversation they'd been wanting to have for some time, and that they had a lot of energy to get it right,” he said.

“For me that’s very important that we don't just have a partnership for the purposes of putting it on social media or so that we have something to talk about and Pride Month.

“We work year round with people within the team, to help make their experiences of the industry better, and to try and create a more inclusive sport for the future," Morris continued. "So that people who are aspiring to be in motorsport now will know that they have a genuinely inclusive industry to come into.”

The ‘powerful’ impact of Lewis Hamilton’s allyship

Lewis Hamilton has used his platform to voice issues facing the LGBTQ+ community in F1

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Matt Bishop, Racing Pride ambassador and member of the LGBTQ+ community, revealed that Lewis Hamilton has been 'alone’ in his allyship since Sebastian Vettel’s retirement from F1.

“The first thing to say is that it is enormously powerful and helpful when allies use their voices to raise the profile of LGBTQ+ inclusion,” Morris said after broaching this assessment.

“It means a lot to people all around the world when they hear people with the status in the sports that figures such as Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have.

“It's really positive as well, that with the Ralf Schumacher news recently, you've heard support from drivers such as Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso, people who haven't necessarily previously spoken on this issue.

“I would like to think that will just increase as more figures come forward," he added. "But of course, it always takes leadership from individuals who feel that they want to move that conversation themselves.”

Morris highlighted how important it is for F1 allies to bring attention to the issue, but also that they must take it further.

“Good allyship goes beyond that, and says, I care about this issue. Therefore, we should listen to what people with authentic lived experiences have to say about it, and learn and educate ourselves.

“I really hope to see more of that type of allyship emerging as we go forward, where it's giving a platform to people who otherwise wouldn't have that level of platform.”

Racing Pride reveals challenge facing LGBTQ+ community in F1

The LGBTQ+ community are criminalized in Saudi Arabia - a country who feature on the F1 calendar

As Ralf Schumacher publicly came out, F1 prepared to race in Hungary, a country where LGBTQ+ rights are under increased pressure.

Same-sex marriage is banned, and in June 2021 Hungary passed an anti-LGBTQ+ law banning "homosexual and transexual propaganda".

As well as Hungary, F1 hosts events in nations such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia where the LGBTQ+ community is criminalized.

“The reality is LGBTQ+ rights vary so hugely around the world,” Morris said.

“I think that's probably one of the biggest challenges remaining for drivers being openly out as LGBTQ+ during their competitive careers, because I think they're aware of the need to go and compete in countries where there is not the level of acceptance for that.

“It is something that is a challenge for teams, which include LGBTQ+ people who are being asked to go and work in these different territories in environments where they don't necessarily have the protections in place that they would have in the UK or in other countries.

Whilst some argue racing in these countries sheds light on the issue, Morris asserts that progress must still be made.

“I do think it's also important that we do see progress over time," he said. "And that this isn't something that is just ongoing, static.

“What we [Racing Pride] can do is work with our partner teams to make sure that they're taking a positive approach toward supporting their team members and their staff within this global championship.”

Grassroots change is key

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A post shared by Jessica Alexander (@jessicaaalexander_)

The F1 paddock has undoubtedly made strides regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion in the past few years, however change must also happen at all levels of motorsport.

Morris emphasized the work Racing Pride does at a national level for karting championships, which rarely receives attention in motorsport media.

“This weekend, myself and Jessica Alexander will be going as Racing Pride alongside Motorsport UK to British karting championship rounds.

“Jessica Alexander is openly trans and is the first openly trans driver to win a Motorsport UK sanctioned karting championship.

“Having people like that at British kart championship rounds with the support of the governing body is such a long way from where we were when I was karting.

“It just felt like these topics were a little taboo and something you didn't talk about. Because no one was leading the conversation.

“I really hope that what we can do by being present and visible at all these different levels, is make people feel it's okay to be themselves, and that they have a community that they can come and find.”

Schumacher’s long-term impact

Lastly, Morris discussed the impact Schumacher will have, hoping that it will allow people to be their true selves at the beginning of their career rather than when they retire.

“I think it will do a lot to help other LGBTQ + people and to raise awareness of their being LGBTQ+ people in the paddock,” he said.

“One of the big issues for me growing up was that feeling of there being nobody like me, and that feeling of isolation.

“The more people who feel able to come out and be themselves, the more we can show that actually, you're not alone, and that people are in this sport, who are just like you.

“That is a very powerful message and shouldn't be underestimated at all...

“We'll see real lasting change, when LGBTQ+ people come into the sport and are rising all the way through their careers as their true selves.

“It feels like at the moment, there's a lot more work to be done, from the grassroots all the way up to make that more possible for people who don't already feel that they have the security of being able to be themselves.

“We have to create a supportive environment for everyone.”

Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

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