‘Unicorn’ bows head, raises fist
The easiest thing is to lose focus, to ease up and lose determination
SPIELBERG BEI KNITTELFELD (AFP) — Lewis Hamilton raised a podium fist to salute the global anti-racism protests as he celebrated his first win this season and the 85th of his career at the Styrian Grand Prix in a performance so dazzling that his Mercedes team boss described him as a “unicorn.”
In a gesture that recalled the action of Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics, Hamilton delivered an image and message that transcended the pre-race muddle offered by his sport when at least four drivers remained standing while others took a knee and some were absent.
For the second consecutive weekend, Hamilton had taken a knee wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt accompanied by others in ‘End Racism’ shirts.
However, television coverage of the drivers’ symbolic act of support for his sport’s anti-racism stance lasted only two seconds.
Instead of showing the drivers, the direction switched broadcast attention to a pre-planned aerial demonstration while, with a global audience tuning in, confusion reigned.
Hamilton, the sport’s only black race winner and champion, who had drawn attention to F1’s need for a smarter and more unified demonstration as with football and other sports, was not surprised or perturbed.
Instead, he heaped praise on his Mercedes team — Valtteri Bottas had finished second behind him in a solid one-two — for their on- and off-track excellence as they seek to add to their six-year dominance as champions and focus on developing diversity.
“The easiest thing is to lose focus, to ease up and lose determination,” he said after the race.
“I don’t see this happening with this team. We are so united.”
“You can see this on grid when all the team took a knee. I didn’t see it. I was told just before the race that they were going to do it.”
“It’s not something I asked for, but it was a beautiful thing. It doesn’t take a lot to do and maybe its not changing the world, but it is hopefully changing perceptions and shifting ideals.”
After his masterful demonstration of wet weather driving in Saturday’s rain-hit qualifying session, Hamilton delivered a measured message to drive within six wins of Michael Schumacher’s record and make his wider point.
“When he is in that space, he is just unbeatable,” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in top-class motor racing. It’s like seeing a unicorn.”