‘I am so proud of this team, for being open eyed to the serious issue of racism and discrimination’

In the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix 2020 on July 5, vegan F1 champion Lewis Hamilton will drive a black car sporting a message “End Racism” on it. The racer will also wear an all-black race suit in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

The 35-year-old came up with the all-black concept as a stance against racism and discrimination and shared it with team boss Toto Wolff who approved it within 48 hours to help “improve the diversity of [its] team and fight racism.”

Sharing an image of his car’s new black makeover to Instagram, he wrote: “I am so proud of this team, for being open eyed to the serious issue of racism and discrimination.

“They’ve taken steps to ensure they are being open minded, to be willing to learn from lessons past and present and working together whole heartedly for a better, more equal and inclusive future.

“The silver arrows has been a prominent leader for decades and this marks a new era for them also where we push for inclusion and diversity.

“We have much to do but I’m confident that together we can help change this sport and spark the others in the industry to follow.”

The six-time Formula One champion will drive the Black Arrow throughout the duration of the 2020 Formula One season.

Still WE Rise ✊? #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/kj2cxElMZ0

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) July 2, 2020

‘Become united’

Being the only Black in a white dominated sport, he blasted his fellow drivers for ‘staying silent’ on the issue of racial inequality in F1 and called for more diversity and unity within the sport.

He previously shared how he found it “incredibly hard to break into this industry” and the situation is just as bad if not worse in today’s times.

In an interview this week he said he expected the drivers to be united in support of the BLM movement at Sunday’s season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.

“I think it’s really important that we remain united or become united in this sport,” Hamilton told reporters.

“Our voices are powerful and if we bring them together collectively we can have a huge impact. It’s the first race. Already as a team we have shown quite a big acknowledgement of where we are in society today and that we are not standing still, we are moving ahead. We will, I’m sure, as drivers all stand to represent something.”

Black Lives Matter

The passionate vegan and animal advocate has been actively involved in the BLM movement, using his platform to speak out against racial inequalities and injustices ever since the tragic incident involving African American George Floyd came to the fore.

Last month, he participated at a Black Lives Matter rally in London.

“I was so proud to be out there acknowledging and support the […] movement, and my Black heritage. I was so happy to see people of all ages sporting Black Lives Matter signs and saying it just as passionate as I was,” he shared on Instagram.

Prior to that, he applauded Bristol anti-racist demonstrators, who downed the 125-year-old memorial of Edward Colston before throwing it into the harbour.

Posting a video of the event on his Instagram, he wrote: “I do not condone violence or criminal acts but you have had plenty of time to do this yourselves and haven’t. power to the people✊?.”

• Read: Lewis Hamilton urges people to ‘keep pushing’ for change at London Black Lives Matter protest

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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