(Motorsport-Total.com) – Lewis Hamilton is at the zenith of his career. In this Formula 1 season he is driving towards his seventh world title and is well on the way to catching up with record holder Michael Schumacher. But if Hamilton resigns one day, he will not only be remembered for his successes on the track.
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Nicolas Hamilton sees brother Lewis as an important role model for more diversity Zoom Fetch
Engaged this season like no one else he is fighting against racism and for more diversity – in society as well as in sport. For this purpose the 28 – year old Briton founded his own commission, initiated the “Quit Racism” -Recount before every race and also speaks out for the good cause.
His half-brother Nicolas Hamilton, himself a driver in the British Touring Car Championship, fears that Formula 1 will be missing exactly that, when the world champion retires at some point. And that not only sport will suffer.
“In the Second, motorsport is viewed as an industry that is difficult to come into contact with,” he continues in conversation with ‘ CNN Sport ‘fixed. “You don’t know where to go to get an opportunity. You don’t see any or only very few black faces there , in the second there is only Lewis. “
” When he’s gone, who will you look up to? Who will you see then ? “asks Nicolas Hamilton. “There aren’t many people, not even women. Women love cars just as much as men do. So there is no reason why they shouldn’t have equal opportunities in this sense as well.”
For its part, Formula 1 wants to counteract this with a “job power”. It is intended to ensure “that we give people from all backgrounds the best opportunities to work in Formula 1, regardless of gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or physical abilities,” it says in an assertion. “Back then, motorsport didn’t do enough”
An important step for Nicolas Hamilton. He remembers: “We fought as a black family, we received a lot of racist abuse. (…) There are very few colored people in motorsport, and when there are colored people, you sometimes see a lot of racism.” His brother found out about this too.
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Nicolas Hamilton sits in his brother’s Formula 1 car in the year 2007 Zoom Fetch
During a test session in Barcelona 2008 A group of onlookers wore black complexions, curly wigs, and T-shirts that said “Hamilton’s Family”. The FIA then initiated the anti-racism campaign EveryRace.
The following year, a similar incident occurred at the Expansive Prix of Spain. “At the time, yes, motorsport didn’t do enough back then,” says Nicolas Hamilton looking back, “but now he’s starting to modify into as soon as is a good thing.” However, from his point of view, efforts should not concentrate solely on the issue of racism.
Of the 28 – year-old has cerebral palsy and drives a modified car in the BTCC. He wants Formula 1 to become more accessible for people with disabilities: “I would like people in wheelchairs to have access to the race track and the racing cars, regardless of whether they are mechanics, engineers or aerodynamicists.”
“Maybe you come from a different environment, have never been able to walk … That’s fine, but you can still pursue your dream of being a mechanic or being modified into as soon as whatever, in an industry in which it was once difficult for them to get started. I’d like to see that, “says Nicolas Hamilton.
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