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Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will use the pre-race ‘unity moment’ in 2021 to continue taking a knee in the hope it “sparks an uncomfortable conversation” about equality.
Hamilton and many drivers kneeled during an organised End Racism display before the start of each race in 2020, as part of F1’s We Race As One initiative.
F1 will retain a pre-race moment again in 2021 but will not making it specifically in support of anti-racism movements, leaving drivers free to mark it as they choose.
Hamilton has become a vocal proponent of anti-racism causes and wider human rights campaigning and led F1’s efforts to be more actively involved in global movements last year.
While he has stressed before that greater action is required in addition gestures, he said ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix he intends to continue kneeling because he believes it has a benefit.
“I can’t ignore the fact that last year weighed heavily on me,” he said in Bahrain on Thursday.
“As I get older I’m understanding more. I think we all went through an educational phase last year. We’re all learning more, there was a lot more discussion, I was watching more documentaries, I was reading a huge amount more trying to educate myself on the things that are happening around the world. And that hasn’t stopped through winter.
“It definitely felt empowering to not be silent, like some may want you to be. It definitely felt good on one side to take the knee on a personal level, to let the black community know that I hear you, I see you, and I stand with you.
“That was important for me. But there’s so many things that we need to address around the world and I can’t fix everything, but I want to help.
“We have an amazing platform here. I think it’s great to see the steps that Formula 1 is taking, the steps Mercedes are taking in terms of making this sport more diverse.
“I plan to continue to take the knee because I think what’s really important is when young children are watching what we’re doing here in this sport and when they see us take the knee, they will sit and ask their parents or their teachers, ‘Why are they doing that? What are they taking the knee for?’.
“And it sparks an uncomfortable conversation. It means parents have to educate themselves and the kids are getting educated.
“It’s a fight that’s not won. It’s a fight that will continue for a long time, I’m sure. But I think we’re in a good time where conversation is healthy.”
Hamilton’s status as the most successful driver in F1 history and the championship’s first black driver, plus his huge profile, have made him the target of various requests to encourage F1 to be accountable for its own shortcomings in terms of diversity and equality.
F1 is making efforts to become more diverse, but another area it is often criticised for its racing in countries with appalling human rights records.
The addition of a race in Saudi Arabia this year has exacerbated that, although Bahrain hosting the season opener means F1 2021 kicks off in another Middle Eastern country criticised for a fundamental lack of equality and accused of ‘sportswashing’ its image.
“It’s the first time I received letters like that. So I’ve taken the last few months to try and educate myself” :: Lewis Hamilton
In the last few months, alleged torture victims in Bahrain and human rights campaigners have written to Hamilton imploring him to use his status to help hold the kingdom accountable in the same way he has pushed anti-racism efforts.
“I received those letters last year, which weighed quite heavily on me,” said Hamilton, who hoped to meet the Crown Prince of Bahrain last year but had to isolate with COVID-19 after the first Sakhir race.
“It’s the first time I received letters like that along my travels. So I’ve taken the last few months to try and educate myself because coming here all these years I wasn’t aware of all of the details of human rights issues.
“I spent time speaking to legal human rights experts, I spent time speaking to human rights organisations like Amnesty.
“I have seen the UK ambassador here in Bahrain and spoken to Bahrain officials also.
“The steps that I’ve taken really have been in private and I think that’s the right way to go about it, so I don’t really want to say too much that may jeopardise any progress.
“That’s the position we’re in now, but I’m definitely committed to helping in any way I can.”
Asked about another letter allegedly sent ahead of this weekend’s race, and F1’s need to confront human rights abuse in Bahrain now rather than in the future, Hamilton said: “It’s not in my power to choose where we go and race but [I am] just reflecting again back on the powerful position that we are in in terms of the responsibility.
“Human rights, I don’t think should be a political issue. We all deserve equal rights.
“In terms of whether it’s F1’s responsibility, I don’t know if that’s for me to say.
“But as I said I’m taking steps in understanding and I think as a sport we do go to a lot of different places we visit lots of different beautiful countries and cultures and there’s issues all around the world.
“I don’t think that we should be going to these countries, and just ignoring what is happening in those places and arriving, having a great time, and then leave.”
