JURASSIC SPARK
Lewis: Dinosaurs only make me fight harder
LEWIS HAMILTON has told the racists and Formula One’s dinosaurs that they will not drive him out of the sport.
But he called on F1 and its commercial partners to do more to fight discrimination and to stop talking and take action.
After it emerged Hamilton had been the subject of a racist slur from 69-year-old Nelson Piquet, 91-year-old Bernie Ecclestone defended Brazil’s three-times world champion.
And last week, Sir Jackie Stewart, 83, called on Hamilton to quit driving.
But Hamilton said he rises above the comments from “old voices” and will continue to fight on the track for an eighth world title and off it for greater inclusion and diversity.
As he prepares for Sunday’s British Grand Prix, Hamilton said: “In the last couple of weeks, I don’t think a day has gone by when someone who has not been relevant in our sport for decades has not been saying negative things and trying to bring me down.
“But I am still here and still standing strong. I’m focused on my work and pushing for diversity and inclusion in our sport.”
Formula One and its governing body, along with a host of companies associated with the sport, immediately issued strong statements of support for Hamilton after Piquet’s ‘neguinho’ comments. But statements are not enough, says Hamilton. He said: “It’s now a knee-jerk reaction from companies all round the world.
“When something like this happens, they probably already have – I am not saying we do – PR people ready with a script for something like that.
“Crisis management. It’s not enough. Now it’s time for actual real action.
“Formula One, the media, we should not be giving these people a platform.
“I’ve always tried to be respectful to these individuals but why did we give these guys a platform?
“They are not with the time, they are not willing to change. I’m still here and it’s not going to deter me from doing what
I love, which is working in this sport.”
And while he didn’t give him the dignity of a name-check, Hamilton could not disguise his utter disgust for Ecclestone after the former Formula One boss defended “first class” Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Hamilton said: “To hear from someone that ultimately believes in the war, to hear from someone who supports the person who is doing it, that is beyond me. I can’t believe that is what I heard today.”