Lewis Hamilton won his first grand prix 15 years ago this weekend in Canada. He has been centre stage ever since. He still is, just not perhaps in quite the way he would prefer.
After seven years of unprecedented Mercedes domination helped him to 103 GP wins, Hamilton’s 2022 car is not at the level of Red Bull or Ferrari. Once again, it looks like a supporting role for the seven-time world champion on the track in Baku this weekend. Off it, he is still making headlines, from doubling down on his commitment to inclusion and diversity, to film-making and becoming a citizen of Brazil.
The FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem, caused controversy this week when he was quoted pointing out that in the days of Niki Lauda and Alain Prost they just got on and drove, whereas modern drivers use F1 as a platform, referencing the likes of Hamilton, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and Britain’s Lando Norris speaking out about human rights, LGBQT+ support and mental health.
In Azerbaijan on Friday, Hamilton underlined he had no intention of stepping back and urged more drivers to become involved. “Formula 1 continues to be an important platform to use our voices,” he said.
“For every single one of us here to do more, to speak out more, to spark more conversations. Creating a more inclusive environment is so important, and focusing on creating better diversity within your organisation and within the sport. But it’s moving at a slow pace. I encourage all drivers to be more outspoken and speak about what they care about.”
Vettel, who recently aired his views on the environment and more on BBC’s Question Time, added: “The topics Lewis is continuing to raise, the issues Lando has been talking about, and the stuff I’ve been mentioning, are topics that are very important. They are bigger than us, bigger than a sport can ever be.”
In fairness to Ben Sulayem, inclusion was a cornerstone of his election manifesto in his bid to become president of the sport’s ruling federation. He clarified his recent comments on Twitter this week and said that sport should be “a catalyst of progress in society.”
And just as practice for round eight of this year’s championship was about to begin in Azerbaijan, the FIA confirmed the appointment of the Ukrainian Tanya Kutsenko as its dedicated motorsport equality, diversity and inclusion adviser.
Apart from the wider influence Hamilton’s global standing affords him, he revealed he is also bringing his specific expertise to bear on a new motor racing movie starring Brad Pitt. “It’s a super-exciting project and a long time in the making,” Hamilton, who will not feature in the movie, explained. “I’ve been spending good time with Brad, which is pretty epic! I’m also making sure that the cast and crew is diverse too. Looking at racing movies I can’t say they’ve all been spectacular. I want to change that, to show people how great this sport is.”
Elsewhere, he is now a Brazilian citizen after after a bill passed by the country’s lower house of parliament. The proposal was made by a congressman after Hamilton flew the Brazil flag after his superb victory in last year’s Brazilian GP, then gave a keynote speech at a business event earlier this year.
“I’m speechless,” said the man whose childhood hero was Ayrton Senna. “Brazil is a place I’ve loved since following Ayrton. You’re just drawn to the country. It’s so diverse and there’s the energy, the music, the colour. I’ve had amazing times there and clinched my first championship there. I had an epic win in São Paulo last year and my biggest following is in Brazil.”
Wins have been impossible to come by for Hamilton or Mercedes this season, however. The seven-time world champion has won races every year he has competed in F1 but is now without a win in the last eight races as the team struggles.
In Baku, Hamilton had to be content with 12th-fastest second practice time as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the pace, ahead of the Red Bulls of Monaco winner Sergio Pérez – now rewarded with a two-year contract extension – and reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
