Lewis Hamilton Argues Investments Away From F1 Are Due To 'Lack Of Diversity'

Saajan Jogia | Dec 28, 2024

Nov 21, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton (44) arrives before practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton opened up on the investments being made away from Formula 1 due to a "lack of diversity" in ownership of F1 teams, which according to him, are "owned only by white men." Hamilton, known for his passion for MotoGP, has been linked to the potential acquisition of the KTM MotoGP team, which recently expressed openness to investments due to financial challenges faced by its parent company.

The 39-year-old driver, who moves to Ferrari in 2025, is also popular for his advocacy for social and racial justice, and this has been pushing him to other areas of investment away from the premier class of motorsport. According to Speedweek, Hamilton was interested in buying the Ducati's satellite MotoGP team Gresini, but team owner Nadia Padovani revealed her team was not for sale. Hamilton's interest confirms that he is seeking investment opportunities in the world of two-wheel racing following his role as a co-owner of the NFL's Denver Broncos. He said:

"I'm working on various projects.

"I believe that black equality is important. In Formula 1 there is no diversity in ownership, it is currently owned only by white men. I would like to be part of that.

"My first step was to be part of the Broncos ( the football team from Denver - the author ) and that was amazing because there is real diversity in ownership there. I have always loved MotoGP and am also interested in the potential growth of the sport."

The British driver's initiatives for racial equality were significantly highlighted during his time with Mercedes. To commemorate his efforts, Mercedes adopted an all-black livery in 2020, symbolizing its support for diversity and taking a strong stance against racism. With the team's recent F1 cars from 2023 and 2024 featuring a striking black livery, team principal Toto Wolff revealed that Mercedes plans to maintain this color scheme for Hamilton in the future, even though he will no longer be with the team next season. He said:

“He’s a global phenomenon, and for sure, he played a role in positioning the Mercedes brand a little bit more edgy, a little bit more contemporary and extravagant.

“But then the impact he had on the team in terms of diversity — you know, we have a large part of our population today from underrepresented groups, and it’s going to make us strong, because it’s different cultures, different perceptions and perspectives.

“He made us kneel when we needed to do it, and he helped us to do the car black, and it’s gonna stay black. We’re not bailing out of there.”