Mercedes, FIA & Others Condemn Racing Legend Piquet Over Highly Controversial F1 Remark Hurled at ‘True Champion’ Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton is among the few drivers who use his stature and platform to bring important issues to light. The Briton is an advocate of inclusivity and the fight against social evils, like racism. Hamilton is not all talk as well. He takes active measures and steps toward the ideas he stands for. For example, the Hamilton Commission and Mission 44 are two charitable foundations founded by Sir Lewis Hamilton himself.

Even the FIA and many entities involved with F1, especially the seven-time world champion, have no tolerance for racism. And this is exactly why the situation involving Nelson Piquet and Hamilton is a shock to the entire F1 fraternity.

The three-time world champion Piquet used a racially offensive term while referring to Hamilton on a Brazilian podcast. The FIA, F1, and Mercedes social media handles posted messages as a show of solidarity toward Lewis Hamilton, while condemning discriminatory and racist language, further pointing out there is no room for racism in the sport.

Mercedes’ official statement read, “We condemn in the strongest terms any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind. Lewis has spearheaded our sport’s efforts to combat racism, and he is a true champion of diversity on and off track.”

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“Together, we share a vision for a diverse and inclusive motorsport, and this incident underlines the fundamental importance of continuing to strive for a brighter future.”

This support goes to show that Hamilton’s efforts have not been in vain.

The steps Lewis Hamilton takes to make F1 more inclusive

This incident involving Piquet will arguably only fuel Hamilton’s desire to work toward an inclusive environment. Cue, the Hamilton Commission, talks about the lack of diversity across the motorsport industry. The underrepresentation, apart from the driver pool, also spreads to the backend of the sport. This is exactly what the Commission points out with studies conducted to bring the problem to light.

Hamilton also started a charity under the Mission 44 banner after the findings. The initiative called ‘Ignite’ with advocacy and grant-giving, will try to bridge the gap between diverse groups and employment. Hamilton pledged £20 million ($24.48 Million) to the charity.

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It’s sad to see a man like Hamilton facing racial abuse despite all the work he puts into the cause.