WIDOW’S FURY

Hamilton’s despair over Ecclestone’s black people ‘more racist’ interview

LEWIS Hamilton branded Bernie Ecclestone’s comments “ignorant and uneducated” after the ex-F1 chief claimed black people were often “more racist” than whites.

Ecclestone waded into the Black Lives Matter debate in an interview with CNN where he revealed

Hamilton and

Bernie Ecclestone surprise that Hamilton suffered racial prejudice in motor racing. Ecclestone, 89, stepped down as F1 chief executive in 2017.

Six-time F1 champion Hamilton, 35, hit back at his “ignorant and uneducated comments which show us how far we need to go”. He added: “It makes complete sense to me now that nothing was said or done to make our sport more diverse or to address the racial abuse I received throughout my career.”

Hamilton has also criticised F1’s failure to combat racism in the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody in the US.

F1 bosses said they “disagree with Bernie Ecclestone’s comments that have no place in F1 or society.”

The sport last week launched the #WeRaceAsOne initiative, to boost equality in the wake of Covid-19.

AN SAS medic who saved hundreds of soldiers’ lives on battlefields killed himself after his pleas for help with his own mental trauma were ignored.

Staff Sergeant Jamie Ferguson made a video recording just moments before his death in which he said: “I asked for help but no one was listening, they didn’t understand.”

The 36-year-old veteran of multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan – one of the Army’s most experienced combat medics – shot himself after making the recording inside a military base.

His death 11 days ago was the third military suicide at the same base in a year and one of five in a single week this month.

The grim toll has raised fears of a death spike caused by lockdown and prompted cross-party demands from MPs for action.

One MP said the tragedy of SSgt Ferguson should be “a catalyst for change” and another called for a specialist new mental health centre.

Since lockdown began at least 14 serving personnel and veterans are believed to have killed themselves.

Now SSgt Ferguson’s widow Sammi is calling on the MoD and Government to take responsibility for the surge in suicides.

ASHAMED

Mum-of-three Sammi, 50, said: “The MoD is in denial. My husband asked for help but he was ignored. How many more soldiers and veterans need to die?

“The MoD’s behaviour is a scandal and the Government should be ashamed of itself.

“These soldiers were mentally traumatised in the service of this country and they have been disowned.

“My message to the MoD is please stop relying on charities to deal with mental health problems – it’s your job.

“My husband should be alive today. There will be Army wives who think their husbands are fine but who are planning to kill themselves. The MoD behaves as though this isn’t an issue.”

SSgt Ferguson, originally from Leicestershire, joined the Army at 16 and served more than 20 years.

As a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps he went on to serve with the SAS between 2008 and 2012.

Colleagues who knew him as Fergie have been stunned by the death of the “awesome soldier” totally dedicated to his wife and family.

Sammi, who was married to him for over 13 years and had a son Lukas with him as well as two daughters from a previous marriage, said he had been treated for a condition which often leads to PTSD.

He developed it after a “super-traumatic” incident while serving on a British Army anti-poaching operation in Malawi.

During the mission soldier Mathew Talbot, 22, of the Coldstream Guards, was trampled by a rogue

SSgt Ferguson on Remembrance Day in 2019

PROUD

ROW