Lewis Hamilton takes shot at Formula One as he posts video to claim ‘nothing’s changed in 11 years’ and the sport lacks diversity
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LEWIS HAMILTON has taken aim at Formula One by claiming the sport lacks diversity.
The reigning world champion posted a video on his Instagram account of the scene in the F1 paddock in Melbourne’s Albert Park for the season-opener.
He accompanied the short clip with the sentence: “There is barely any diversity in F1, still nothing’s changed in 11 years I’ve been here.
"Kids, people, there’s so many jobs in this sport of which anybody no matter your ethnicity and background, can make it and fit in. #diversity #youcandoit.”
Hamilton, who is the sport’s first and only black driver, is becoming more outspoken on politics and racism and flirted with the idea of “taking a knee” during the US GP last year.
The 33-year-old used social media then to sympathise with the US athletes who were protesting about racism in the United States.
In his press conference prior to his Instagram message Hamilton said he thought there was more to come from him in Formula One.
He said: “I hope I haven’t reached my peak. I am sure there is a peak when fitness levels get harder to reach and your interest starts to decline.
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“I guess that’s when you’re over your peak but I definitely don’t feel I’m at that stage.
"I’m in a good range right now and I need to extract the most I can from it. I am up for the fight? Of course. I am definitely not tired.
"This is the 12th season of doing the press conferences so I am not the most excited about this section of the race weekend but, I am looking forward to getting into the car.”
Hamilton also snapped at claims made by his former team-mate Nico Rosberg that he suffered from inconsistency.
Rosberg had said: “Lewis would have off weekends and moments of inconsistency.
“Sometimes his weekends can be affected by how he arrives at the track. He can lose momentum in practice and be on the back foot.”
But Hamilton snapped back at the German, who is now working for Sky F1 as a presenter, “I proved that wasn’t the case last year.
“There are a lot of people that need to get headlines but the goal this year is to be even more consistent than I was last year.
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“My consistency was the reason I won the world championship last year.”
Sebastian Vettel says Hamilton and his Mercedes team are rightly the bookies’ favourites for both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
He said: “The question was who is coming out on top. Mercedes is right and Lewis is right to be the favourite this year.
“It is a long season and this will be one race.
We all look forward to kick off the season, get in the car and race.
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“We have reasons to be confident. Our car is great, there is stuff to come so there is plenty to look forward to, but usually around this point you don’t know where the others are.
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“Based on testing, we are in good shape, we could be in better shape, but it is always like that.”
Hamilton’s Instagram post is not the first time he has criticised the sport. In 2011 he landed in hot water after having a pop at a race steward at the Monaco GP after he was penalised for incidents during the race.
When he was asked why he was penalised he replied: “Maybe it’s because I’m black. That’s what Ali G says.”
Neither Formula One nor Mercedes commented on Hamilton’s post.