Hamilton Commission publishes report on improving diversity in motorsport

By topgear, 15 July 2021

Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton is “personally committed” to delivering the recommendations of a new report on increasing diversity in motorsport.

The Hamilton Commission was established by Lewis and the Royal Academy of Engineering in June 2020, and over a ten-month research period set out to identify the biggest barriers holding back the recruitment and progression of black people in UK motorsport.

The report, published today under the title ‘Accelerating change: improving representation of black people in UK motorsport’, identified a number of factors that included – but were not limited to – motorsport hiring practices that favoured students from a select group of high-ranking universities, geographical factors, and a lack of diverse role models in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) teaching positions.

It sets out ten recommendations across three strands, and includes asking F1 and other motorsports organisations to take the lead in implementing diversity and inclusion charters, broadening access to motorsport by expanding apprenticeships and establishing a new exclusions innovations fund.

The Commission also recommends supporting new approaches to increasing black teachers in STEM subjects, and the creation of scholarship programmes to enable black graduates with engineering degrees to progress into specialist motorsport roles.

Following the report’s publication, Lewis Hamilton said: “While I have enjoyed a successful career in motorsport, it’s been a lonely path as one of the few black individuals within Formula One and, after fifteen years of waiting for the industry to catch up, I realised I had to take action myself.

“In order to do that, I needed to understand what was preventing the industry from being as diverse as the world around it. Through the Commission’s research, we can see there are clear meaningful steps the motorsport industry needs to take towards creating a more inclusive environment where diversity can thrive, but also that we must tackle the barriers facing black students that exist throughout their educational journey.

“Some of these barriers I recognise from my own experiences, but our findings have opened my eyes to just how far reaching these problems are. Now that I’m armed with the Commission’s recommendations, I am personally committed to ensuring they are put into action. I’m proud of our work to date, but this is really just the beginning.”

The report follows news that Hamilton has signed a two-year extension with Mercedes-AMG F1, and will drive for the record-breaking team in 2022 and 2023.

“We’ve accomplished so much together but we still have a lot to achieve both on and off the track,” Hamilton said on signing the extension. “I’m incredibly proud and grateful of how Mercedes has supported me in my drive to improve diversity and equality in our sport. They have held themselves accountable and made important strides in creating a more diverse team and inclusive environment.”

His boss, Merc team principal Toto Wolff, said: “His achievements in the sport speak for themselves, and with his experience, speed and race-craft, he is at the peak of his powers.”