Lewis Hamilton has been assertive about bringing racial justice within the realms of Formula 1 and has also urged the sport to add diversity. Especially during Black Lives Matter, Hamilton further pressed the level of exclusivity in the sport and the discrimination he faced ever since he took up karting.
While speaking up as the only black F1 driver, he got considerable support, but several people harshly criticized him too. From former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to the former Ferrar driver Rene Arnoux, the seven-world champion’s concerns about racism were too much.
Arnoux wasn’t pleased with all the t-shirts and speeches Hamilton made then. He even found Mercedes’ decision to make the car all-black in 2020 disappointing.
Also read: Explained: Why Lewis Hamilton’s 2011 Season With McLaren Worse Than His Winless Season in 2022?
I don’t like Lewis Hamilton
Arnoux was quick to denounce both Hamilton’s personality and activism around racism. He claimed he is pissed with people ‘fueling the black-white’ problem.
“I don’t like Hamilton as a character very much,” said Arnoux. “I didn’t like that he asked Mercedes to make the car black. For me it was a disappointment. In Toto Wolff’s place I would have done it in half, half white and half black. It would have been a much more effective and positive message. Smarter. I’m tired of people fueling the black-white problem.”
Apart from his demand for racial justice, Arnoux even commented on Hamilton’s clothing. According to him, the seven-time world champion called his fashion ‘weird’.
Mercedes star goes against the FIA
Hamilton has found enough opposition against his political statements over the years and is likely to face more in the future. However, recently the FIA brought out a declaration that surprised everyone.
The governing body decided to ban all political statements by drivers on the F1 stage. Even Max Verstappen, who tries to remain apolitical, spoke against the decree, and Hamilton also asserted his opposition.
The Briton believes that the FIA can’t keep him silent. Moreover, he even accused them of spoiling all the work he has been doing in terms of social causes, especially Mission 44, which aims to increase diversity in motorsport.
At the same time, he praised F1 boss Stefano Domenicali for not taking a tone similar to FIA. He believes with Domenicali, he would aim to make the sport better than ever.
