Lewis Hamilton insists on racing in Africa
Lewis Hamilton has declared his intention to remain in Formula 1 until the sport stages a grand prix on African soil, a cause he has championed behind the scenes for the past six or seven years while also calling for land to be ‘taken back’ from Britain, reports BritPanorama.
The seven-time world champion revealed he has been ‘fighting in the background’ about the absence of racing on the continent. “I don’t want to leave the sport without having a grand prix there, without getting to race there,” Hamilton said. “I’m chasing them – when is it going to be?”
He added: “They’re setting certain dates. I’m like, damn, I could be running out of time, so I’m going to be here for a while until that happens, because that would be amazing, given that I’m half-African.” Despite Hamilton’s determination, the likelihood of an African race materializing before the end of this decade remains slim.
F1’s first black driver acknowledged that the sport’s bosses are “really trying” to bring a grand prix to the continent, but no race appears imminent on the calendar. Rwanda emerged as the most recent potential host nation, though those prospects have since faded.
Negotiations to return to South Africa also proved unsuccessful, with discussions about both the Kyalami circuit near Johannesburg and a prospective Cape Town venue ultimately collapsing. Kyalami previously featured on the F1 calendar from 1967 to 1985 and again in 1992-93, during the apartheid era in South Africa.
Hamilton also voiced strong concerns about the ongoing exploitation of African nations by wealthier Western countries. “It is the most beautiful part of the world, and I don’t like that the rest of the world owns so much of it and takes so much from it and no-one speaks about it,” Hamilton said. He urged African leaders to reclaim control of their nations’ resources by taking it back from colonial powers.
“Take it back from the French. Take it back from the Spanish. Take it back from the Portuguese and the British,” he urged, highlighting the continent’s natural wealth as a factor hindering external control.
Speaking ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton noted a significant mental transformation following a challenging previous campaign with Ferrari. During that difficult period, he made self-critical remarks, describing himself as “useless” and admitted he was “not looking forward” to racing.
“As I said in one of my posts, I kind of lost sight for a second of who I was. And that person’s gone. You won’t see that person again,” Hamilton stated. The 40-year-old credited intensive winter training with helping him develop a more positive mindset, feeling considerably more integrated with the Italian team heading into the new campaign.
As Hamilton continues to advocate for an African grand prix, his journey reflects a broader struggle for visibility and representation in motorsport, underscoring the intersection between culture and competition.
