Lewis Hamilton, a fervent advocate for diversity and inclusion in motorsport, says he intends yto continue his efforts in the field upon joining Ferrari in 2025.
Throughout his illustrious career at Mercedes, Hamilton has consistently used his platform to address the lack of diversity within the sport, both on and off the track.
Hamilton’s advocacy began with the Hamilton Commission, a report highlighting the systemic barriers faced by underrepresented groups within motorsport.
This initiative paved the way for the Ignite charity, co-founded by Hamilton and Mercedes, which aims to empower individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in STEM fields, particularly those relevant to motorsport.
The charity initially collaborated with Mission 44, Hamilton’s personal foundation established to address the dearth of racial diversity in STEM education within the UK.
While transitioning to Ferrari for the 2025 season, Hamilton has emphasized the continuation of his crucial diversity initiatives, revealing discussions with Ferrari chairman John Elkann that specifically addressed this vital topic.
“Of course, [if] you look at Ferrari, they have a lot of work to do, so I’ve already made that a priority in speaking with John,” Hamilton explained. “And they’re super excited to work on it also.”
Hamilton highlighted how Mercedes had undoubtedly become a more diverse organization as part of his efforts.
“Firstly, I’m immensely proud of the work that we’ve done within Mercedes,” he said. “Since 2020, we’ve made some real great strides in improving the diversity within the team.
“And for example, within HR we’ve got a diverse HR group and that will continue beyond me, which is something I’m really proud of.
“I think we are ahead of every other team in that respect, and there still is a huge amount of work within the whole sport, of which I’m speaking to Stefano [Domenicali, F1 CEO] constantly and looking to work more with Formula 1.”
Established in December 2021, Mission 44 has garnered £11.2 million in donations, with Lewis Hamilton personally providing £7 million of funding, while committing to a total pledge of £20 million.
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Hamilton vows to champion diversity push at Ferrari F1i.com.
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