Lewis Hamilton became Formula 1’s first Full-time Black driver when he debuted in 2007 with McLaren. He would then go on to break the majority of F1’s records and claim the most race wins, pole positions and titles achieved in the sport’s history.
However, the Briton’s rise to the highest league of Motorsports wasn’t easy. He was subjected to racism and exclusion at a very young age and fought his way against the evils of society.
Lewis hailed from a humble background. And his father Anthony Hamilton worked 4 jobs to fund his son’s karting career.
Hamilton’s story is probably one of the most inspiring tales. He has paved a way for drivers from similar communities to rise up the ranks. One of them was NASCAR driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr.
Also Read: 7x World Champion Lewis Hamilton Was ‘Afraid’ of Being Stopped From Protesting in BLM by Mercedes
How Lewis Hamilton inspired a young Bubba Wallace
Darren ”Bubba” Wallace shares a story similar to Lewis Hamilton. Bubba is the first African American driver to race in NASCAR since the 1970s.
He has competed in all 3 series of the sport and 2 Cup Series race victories to his name. Wallace is the most successful African American driver in the history of NASCAR and he credits Hamilton for boosting his hopes of racing in the big leagues.
While Bubba was a kid, Hamilton entered F1 as the first black driver. And the 7-time World Champion immediately broke the elitist barriers of the sport and challenged for the title in his rookie years.
Bubba claims that he was a fan of Hamilton and was motivated to see the Briton racing. Lewis’s highs and lows resonated with the NASCAR driver as he said, “There was nobody to identify with,”
Wallace told CNN Sport’s Don Riddell, “I remember always playing the F1 2010-11 game on Xbox and I’d pick Lewis Hamilton every time.” This allowed Wallace to pursue his dream of racing in NASCAR.
Wallace claims growing up Hamilton’s presence and achievements in Formula 1 inspired him. He added, “I became a huge fan of his and see what he’s going through. He’s a huge role model of mine.”
Wallace claims Hamilton’s Activism plays an important part in Motorsports
Ahead of Bubba Wallace’s first Daytona 500 start, he received a message of good luck and support from Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton tweeted, wishing the driver ahead of the race start and telling him “Smash it!”
Bubba recalls that moment as ‘unreal.’ He recollected, “I was just like freaking out. To see that tweet, to see that kind of respect he had given out to me was unreal.”
Both Wallace and Hamilton have regularly been victims of racist abuse. But nothing has deterred them from standing up against injustice.
Lewis has “taken the Knee” ahead of races in 2020 as a mark of protest following George Floyd’s death. With his charity, Mission 44, he has pushed for increased diversity in motorsport.
In 2020, when a noose was found in Wallace’s garage, Hamilton took a stand against it. The 7-time World champion showed his support to the American and told him to stay strong.
Bubba too has made a significant contribution to combatting racial injustice. Being the only African-American, he continues to inspire many other young kinds to not give-up on their dreams.
