Lewis Hamilton reveals he has been target of racist abuse since he was eight years old


Lewis Hamilton says he has been the target of racist abuse since he was eight years old, when children threw objects at him while he was karting, and has faced accusations of ‘not being British enough’ throughout his career

Britain’s most successful Formula One driver, and six-time world champion, also revealed that spectators have ‘blacked up’ while he was competing. 

The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team driver, 35, who is based in Monaco, argued that British society is riddled with an ‘implicit bias’ because too many people stay silent. He remains the only black driver in racing. 

He has decided to open up about his experiences in response to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, which has been rekindled following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Lewis Hamilton, 35, has argued that British society is riddled with an ‘implicit bias’. He is pictured above speaking in Australia on March 12

Hamilton had objects thrown at him by other children while he was karting at the age of eight. He has also faced spectators 'blacking up' when he's competing

Hamilton had objects thrown at him by other children while he was karting at the age of eight. He has also faced spectators ‘blacking up’ when he’s competing

Speaking to the Sunday Times, he said Britain’s bias included ‘telling black women they’re too confident, treating black men like a threat or asking us to change our natural appearance to look more “professional”.

‘As a nation, we’re quick to condemn monkey noises and bananas thrown at black footballers, but when it comes to addressing structural issues, the people in power stay silent.

He added: ‘Being the first black “anything” is a proud and lonely walk.

‘When I started out, I took my father’s advice to work twice as hard, keep my head down, my mouth shut, and let my driving do the talking.

‘It was only when wearing my helmet that I felt free to be myself.’

Hamilton is expected to take the knee when he returns to the race track in Austria in two weeks, to show his support for BLM, Sportsmail exclusively revealed this week.

Hamilton is Britain's most successful F1 racer, and has been world champion six times

Hamilton is Britain’s most successful F1 racer, and has been world champion six times

He remains the only black F1 racer, pictured left with his team in Azerbaijan

He remains the only black F1 racer, pictured left with his team in Azerbaijan

He has also revealed plans to set up a commission in his name to increase diversity in motorsports.

‘Despite my success in the sport, the institutional barriers that have kept F1 highly exclusive persist,’ he said in a column for the Sunday Times.

‘It is not enough to point to me, or to a single new black hire, as a meaningful example of progress.’ 

He is mixed race with a black British father, Anthony, and a white mother, Carmen Larbalestier.

He grew up in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, and attended the John Henry Newman School, where he struggled with dyslexia.

He topped this year’s Sunday Times rich list with an estimated fortune of £224million, overtaking David Beckham’s all-time high. 

Lewis Hamilton has said he will have no distractions when racing returns

In an Instagram post that has since been deleted, he responded to comments which have now been proven to be fabricated

Lewis Hamilton has dismissed any suggestion his work with the Black Lives Matter movement will distract him when the 2020 Formula One season gets underway in Austria next month. In an Instagram post that has since been deleted (right), he responded to comments which have been proven to be fabricated

Hamilton took to Instagram on Wednesday to respond to allegedly fabricated quotes, which were reportedly from an F1 chief, that claimed drivers involved in the anti-racism movement could be distracted.

In the since deleted post, he said: ‘It deeply saddens me that you consider fighting for equal treatment of black people and people of colour, a distraction.

‘I’m actually quite offended.

‘A distraction for me was fans showing up in black face to taunt my family on race weekends.

‘A distraction for me was the unnecessary and additional adversity and unfair treatment I faced as a child, teen, and even now, due to the colour of my skin.

‘I hope this speaks volumes to the few people of colour you do have on your team about your priorities and how you view them. Wake up. This sport needs to change.’