Lewis Hamilton has one of the most passionate fanbases in F1. Their support for the seven-time champion—through both good and bad times—has often been unparalleled. However, they have also shown the darker side of hero worship, lashing out at rival drivers and journalists involved in controversies with him with full force.
Take the 2011 Monaco GP for instance. Hamilton was enduring a frustrating weekend with the FIA stewards repeatedly summoning him for on-track incidents. When journalist Lee McKenzie asked him about the same in an interview, Hamilton surprisingly responded, “Maybe it’s because I’m black.”
This response polarized the F1 community, with some criticizing Hamilton for making this bold claim. Others, mostly his fan army, kept backing him whole-heartedly. McKenzie, unfortunately, got caught in the crossfire.
Hamilton faced racism during his childhood, both at school and on the karting tracks. So, he was most likely speaking from his own experiences with discrimination. However, his fans turned their frustration toward McKenzie, criticizing her for her line of questioning.
“In that moment, we are live on BBC and do you stop him, do you save him from himself or do you keep going as a journalist? I kept going, and he received letters of abuse and worse, I received letters of abuse and worse. Because Lewis’ fans thought that I had stitched him up,” she told Lucas Stewart in his latest YouTube video.
Hamilton, a young driver who wore his heart on his sleeve, faced backlash. McKenzie wasn’t at fault, and over time, Hamilton’s fans came to understand that. However, this incident never stopped him from speaking his mind, especially on issues of racism.
Now 40, Hamilton remains candid about facing discrimination and advocating for Black rights. However, over the years, he has learned to be more diplomatic with his responses, carefully choosing his words when interacting with the media—hoping to avoid creating controversy like the one that affected McKenzie.
Still, he has actively spoken out against racism and taken steps to combat it in society. The death of George Floyd in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic served as a major catalyst for his efforts to promote respect and equality for Black people.
Being an active supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement since then, Hamilton has often spoken about the need for diversity and representation in F1 and all other walks of life. His charity, Mission 44 also works towards the same.
Hamilton aims to create opportunities for students from underprivileged and middle-class backgrounds to pursue STEM education and build careers in these technically complex fields. Through Mission 44, he and his team are working tirelessly to provide financial and infrastructural support to the students involved with the charity.
