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Lewis Hamilton’s ‘Wakanda Forever’ salute in honour of the late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman after scoring pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix was the sort of moment in which the six-time world champion transcends his sport.
Hamilton’s tribute and the words around it – the news of Boseman’s death from colon cancer “just really broke me” and was “hanging on my heart” – have already gained traction among non-specialist media and observers around the world. But that shouldn’t be interpreted as him simply pandering to a wider audience.
His words immediately after stepping out of the car were powerful, the kind to stir emotion. He called Boseman a “shining light” and finished with the Black Panther rallying cry “Wakanda Forever”.
Boseman’s death sparked a wave of tributes and legacy pieces. The Black Panther film he starred in, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, portrays the story of a young king in the fictional African country Wakanda, who must face the threat of a dangerous enemy and consider expanding the role the ultra-advanced but secretive nation plays in the wider world.
And it marked a seminal cultural moment. It was not just another superhero movie, it was one that showcased black excellence in a world of white dominance, and did so to critical and commercial acclaim.
“When I was a kid Superman was the hero,” said Hamilton. “He didn’t look like me, but I still thought Superman was the greatest.
“And so, when Chad became the king, when he became a superhero in Wakanda, it was such a special day I think for so many people.
“I know that young kids like myself will be able to now look up to him and see that it is possible to be able to do what he did. So, this one’s dedicated to him.”
In pointing to how Boseman and his character, T’Challa, celebrated an underrepresented group on a global stage, Hamilton was unconsciously describing himself and the role he plays in F1.
It may not be on the same scale, but Hamilton does the same thing in his industry
A shallow comparison between Boseman and Hamilton would cover their shared success as rising stars that ascended to being headline acts in their respective industries. But there’s a deeper, more important parallel between Hamilton’s F1 participation and success and the impact of Boseman and the mainstream representation of Black Panther.
Tributes to Boseman have referenced his acceptance speech at the SAG Awards in which he adapted Nina Simone’s song To Be Young, Gifted And Black to address “what it’s like to be told that there is not a place for you to be featured… to be told there’s not a screen for you to be featured on, a stage for you to be featured on”.
Boseman called it a civil rights anthem that “speaks to the fact that you have the same dreams as other people, you have equal if not more talent at times, but you don’t have the same opportunities”.
His portrayal of Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Thurgood Marshall in his career helped give a new generation a connection to hugely significant historical figures but being the Black Panther went even further, shattering preconceived ideas of what Hollywood could or should portray and what people will respond to.
It may not be on the same scale, but Hamilton does the same thing in his industry.
“It’s much more difficult to make your way up to the top, whether it’s an actor, a sports person, a politician or an entrepreneur,” says his team boss Toto Wolff of the challenge facing minority groups.
“I think Lewis has the possibility of becoming the greatest champion in Formula 1, and I think he’s very much carrying that energy and also responsibility that he wants to continue to be a role model and an inspiration for the many other people that look up to him.”
The short-term impact of Hamilton’s F1 success has been minimal in terms of increasing black driver representation in motorsport, but who knows what the medium and long-term legacy will be? Especially as he is committed to establishing the reasons for poor BAME representation in motorsport, to try to find a solution.
And in the meantime, he has knocked down a crucial barrier. A young Lewis Hamilton knew that the drivers he aspired to be didn’t look like him – a young black F1 hopeful could not say the same today. And that carries tremendous value.
Heroes are inspirational. The greatest make you feel like you can be anything you want. This is vitally important when one emerges from an underrepresented group. It can be transformative.
So it was when a movie about a black superhero became the first comic book film to win an Oscar – so it is with the first black driver in F1 elevating himself to being arguably the greatest driver ever.
His salute was a brilliant, poignant gesture that will make many people remember Chadwick Boseman, his character and what they both represented
“I do remember when Black Panther came out and [I’m] a huge, huge Marvel fan, so just knowing how Hollywood has been for a long, long time and to see the first black superhero come out, I think was just awesome,” said Hamilton.
“And everyone was just so proud to really represent. Underrepresentation is such a common thing and so to be able to see somebody make it like him and be such a powerful figure within the Avengers world, it was incredible, such an honour and inspiring.
“I can imagine a young black kid looking up and seeing that it’s possible to be a superhero now. His legacy will always live on.”
Directly or indirectly, Hamilton will be part of that. His salute was a brilliant, poignant gesture that will make many people remember Chadwick Boseman, his character and what they both represented.
But he will also carry that message forward every weekend he’s in an F1 car, showcasing black excellence with every pole lap, every race won, every record broken or extended.
He did it when he became the first black man to race in F1 for the first time, he did it when he became world champion, he does so now as he stands on the verge of being the most successful in history while using his voice to project a powerful anti-racism message in troubled times.
Hamilton might not consciously make the connection, and one can imagine the grief he’d attract if he ever did so publicly. But he fights the same fight as Boseman and the Black Panther.
And there is no greater tribute than that.
