Lewis Hamilton has admitted that incidents of black footballers being racially abused in Italy did make him think twice when deciding to move to Ferrari this year.
The seven-time F1 world champion has switched to Ferrari after 12 years and six world titles at Mercedes. His first race in Scuderia red is at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 16 March.
Hamilton is also F1’s first and only black driver and has detailed in the past the “traumatising” racial abuse he has suffered, detailing in 2023 that he had bananas thrown at him and was repeatedly called the “n-word” at school. He was also racially abused at F1 testing in Barcelona in 2008.
Serie A footballers such as Mike Maignan and Moise Kean have been subject to racial abuse in the past and Hamilton did admit that racist chanting at Italian matches “crossed his mind” when making the decision to move to Ferrari last winter.
“I don’t want to dwell,” he told TIME, when asked about some black footballers being racially abused in Italy.
“I’m not going to lie, it definitely crossed my mind when I was thinking about my decision. Like in so many things, it’s often such a small group of people that set that trend for many.
“I don’t think that it’s going to be a problem.”
Hamilton started the Hamilton Commission in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, with the goal of increasing black representation in UK motorsport.
Mercedes also launched their own diversity initiative and Hamilton also spoke about Ferrari’s lack of ethnic minorities within their own workforce. The Italian team did sign a diversity and inclusion charter, alongside every other F1 team, in November.
“I did think, ‘oh my God, I’ve finally got a more diverse working environment that we’ve built over time,’” says Hamilton.
“And now I’m going back to the beginning of my time with Mercedes, where it wasn’t diverse.”
Hamilton has so far received a rapturous reception from Ferrari fans, known as the tifosi, and will be present in Milan for a special event alongside Charles Leclerc on Thursday before heading to Australia.
The 40-year-old, who also said in the TIME interview that he ignores comments from “older, white men” who are critical of him, is eyeing a record-breaking eighth world championship this year and has a message for those who doubt him as he enters the final years of his career.
“Don’t ever compare me to anybody else,” he said.
“I’m the first and only black driver that’s ever been in this sport. I’m built different. I’ve been through a lot. I’ve had my own journey.
“You can’t compare me to another 40-year-old, past or present, Formula One driver in history. Because they are nothing like me. I’m hungry, driven, don’t have a wife and kids.
“I’m focused on one thing, and that’s winning. That’s my No. 1 priority.”
