Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton makes huge driver contract request as he urges Formula 1 to evolve

13:33, 09 Aug

bySamson Ero

Aside from his racing craft, Lewis Hamilton is synonymous with his advocacy and unwavering drive for change. Over the years, the 40-year-old has largely used his platforms to address several pressing issues, and recently, he identified notable areas that need to change within Formula 1.

The British driver, who sat down for an interview with Belgian outlet RTBF, touched on the need for the F1 system to evolve, highlighting restrictive clauses in drivers’ contracts that prevent them from speaking to other teams. The Scuderia Ferrari driver also emphasised the lack of diversity within the F1 circle.

“I also think the F1 system needs to evolve. Drivers are tied to contracts that prevent them from talking to other teams. They can't even talk to other teams. F1 has grown enormously; revenues have exploded—from 700 million to over 3 billion."

"This growth isn't reflected in all employees. Their salaries haven't evolved like the business. There's still a big lack of diversity in the paddock; a lot of things still need to change in our sport.”

Lewis Hamilton urges F1 to take greater responsibility in the countries it visits

Hamilton also spoke about Formula 1 creating more opportunities in countries where races are held. The multiple-time champion detailed how the sport could focus on avoiding environmental harm in these locations.

“In the past, drivers like Niki Lauda pushed for more safety. Today, we need to create more access and more opportunities. When we go to all these countries, we have to avoid leaving a mess. There should be upcycling and a real recycling system.”