Lewis Hamilton is not your average world champion. He believes in competing fast on the track; where driving on the edge, he extracts the best out of his God-given talent and the Mercedes machine and also believes in doing his share of duties off the grid.
In fact, it may not be wrong to state that the conduct of Lewis Hamilton goes onto define the model decorum of a contemporary world champion or a world-renowned athlete; someone who’s not only concerned about his performances on the track but also about the state of the world away from his lair of excellence.
In that regard, what Lewis Hamilton recently had to say about Formula 1 wasn’t entirely off the mark. For it concerned a popular matter that’s currently emerged as a boiling issue the world over. Although sadly, from Lewis Hamilton’s view, the very sport in which he’s considered a demi-god hasn’t had anything to do with raising a voice.
But for now and for days to come, the very fact that F1 didn’t really hit out and raise a voice of concern regarding the controversial death of American protestor George Floyd will always cause grief, and not just to Lewis Hamilton but to his supporters as well.
The very fact that today you and I are seeing countless posts over social media networks that carry a hashtag- #Blacklivesmatter – goes to say a thing or two about the dreaded mistreatment extended to the recently deceased Black protestor George Floyd.
The fact that a harmless, average, working-class black American was killed in the custody of the police- the very support system that is meant to protect the average American- led to nation-wide protests in the country called the land of the free and the home to the brave!
Though, there was nothing brave about killing a harmless, innocent man, just the kind of act of unforgiving brazen violence that’s set the internet seething in rage.
And here’s what Lewis Hamilton had to say about the issue:
“I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice!”
But he didn’t stop there. In a group of images released on his famous Instagram profile, the world-famous Mercedes multiple-world champion lashed out at Formula 1 angrily, sharing more:
Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white-dominated sport. I’m one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone.
“I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can’t stand alongside us. Just know I know who you are and I see you.”
But interestingly, it didn’t end there. Perhaps, awoken rudely by their sense of indifference, there were some drivers who replied back and shared their thoughts, Charles Leclerc being one among them, who had the following to say:
“To be completely honest, I felt out of place and uncomfortable sharing my thoughts on social media about the whole situation and this is why I haven’t express myself earlier than today. And I was completely wrong.”
That being said, it must be asked- why should a black Formula 1 driver be only concerned about an issue that is being debated widely around the world; shouldn’t the others too have joined the chorus of support from the motorsports community?