Lewis Hamilton has previously said he will not be deterred by an FIA ban on drivers making political statements as he continues to speak out against human rights issues around the world
Thursday 30 March 2023 06:33, UK
Former McLaren head of communications Matt Bishop has called on other Formula 1 drivers to fill the space left by Sebastian Vettel as a leading voice alongside Lewis Hamilton in the fight for social equality.
Hamilton has been unwavering and unrivalled in his willingness to address human rights issues, particularly in aid of the LGBTQ+ community.
Bishop, who previously worked with Hamilton at McLaren, is responsible for having helped create Racing Pride in support of the LGBTQ+ community in motorsport.
"He [Hamilton] was a young man coming into the sport, he was the only Black driver, not only the only Black driver in the sport but the only Black driver ever in the sport," he told Sky Sports. "I think he did feel rather a bit of a loner as a result.
"Obviously I don't know what it's like to be a Black man, but I am a gay man and both of those things are extremely rare in Formula 1."
Vettel's retirement at the end of last season has left Hamilton as something of a lone voice with regards to addressing social injustices, with Bishop now keen to see others stand up with the seven-time world champion.
"He [Vettel] absolutely saw Lewis as somebody who he could confide in, who he could seek counsel from and I think it was mutual, they both saw each other as somebody who 'gets it' in the same way," Bishop added.
"I'm not trying to criticise any of the other drivers by the way, I worked with many of them and it takes all sorts to make a world.
"But I suppose I would now like some of the other drivers to consider whether they could perhaps fill the void Sebastian has vacated, because Lewis is a tiny bit on his own now."
Three-time champion Nelson Piquet was recently fined £780,000 for racist and homophobic comments made about Hamilton during an interview from November 2021. In light of the video's emergence last summer Hamilton underlined the need to change "archaic mindsets".
"The most important thing is that in Brazil that wrong was righted and I know he's got to pay a big fine, but I assume he can afford it and I do hope, which presumably was the objective, that it will deter other people from speaking in such an appalling way moving forward," said Bishop.
Hamilton has since publicly condemned the Uganda government following the introduction of a new bill that will see individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQ community potentially face life in prison or the death penalty.
"So just saying 'I'm gay or I'm a lesbian or bisexual' will become unlawful, clearly that's an atrocious insult on its own population. Lewis called it out," continued Bishop.
With Hamilton's efforts to tackle social issues has come pushback on social media urging him to stay out of the business of other countries. An argument Bishop deems to have no legs.
"This morning I was in a meeting in central London and I walked down Whitehall and in doing so I passed the memorial that was erected in tribute to the women of World War Two," he said. "Isn't it a good thing that those women did not reluctantly decide not to stand up and be counted when they saw something terrible happening in another country?
"It's an invalid criticism to say 'it's our country, please ignore us and let us crack on'."
Hamilton has meanwhile been critical of the FIA's decision to ban protests and political points during race weekends, with the new rule dictating drivers must now gain permission from the governing body in order to make a "political, religious or personal statement".
"Anybody who thinks it's a good idea to try to prevent the most successful driver in the history of Formula 1 and it's only Black driver from speaking out in favour of human rights, good luck with that," said Bishop.
