Lewis Hamilton has responded to Bernie Ecclestone’s comments on diversity, which have caused some controversy, with Formula 1 moving to distance itself from the former owner and boss of the sport.
Ecclestone is no longer involved in F1 and that fact was confirmed on Friday with an official statement confirming his ‘Chairman Emeritus’ title has now expired.
Hamilton, who is the only black driver in F1, has been vocal on the subject of Black Lives Matter and the lack of diversity in the sport. Whilst Ecclestone was complimentary of Hamilton’s stance on the matter, some of his comments proved controversial.
Responding, Hamilton said he was disappointed and said it’s no surprise that F1 lacks diversity given Ecclestone ran the sport for so long.
“So sad and disappointing to read these comments,” he wrote on Instagram, accompanied by photos of F1 fans in blackface with ‘Hamilton’s family’ written on their shirts.
“Bernie is out of the sport and a different generation but this is exactly what is wrong – ignorant or uneducated comments which show us how far we as a society need to go before real equality can happen.
“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.
“If someone who has run the sport for decades has such a lack of understanding of the deep-rooted issues we as black people deal with every day, how can we expect all the people who work under him to understand. It starts at the top.
“Now, the time has come for change. I will not stop pushing to create an inclusive future for our sport, with equal opportunity for all. To create a world that provides equal opportunity for minorities. I will continue to use my voice to represent those that don’t have one, and to speak for those who are underrepresented to provide an opportunity to have a chance in our sport.”
