As a driver Hamilton is one of the two best ever in my view. A lot gets made of having the best car but he's won a couple of those titles when having a disadvantage with his car compared to his rivals.
That out of the way... he is outspoken with his views and I respect the fact that he puts his voice forward for what he believes in. As a prominent black driver in a mostly white sport I've little doubt he will have suffered from racism at times and has worked hard to get to where he is. I do think he overplays his hand a touch though, his father made big sacrifices to give him opportunity (he quit his job to support him) and instead of ever seemingly acknowledging some of this (from what I hear him say) he instead refers to growing up in slums (Stevenage...) and pays no tax to the UK. I just find him hard to respect due to that.
That said he's right to call out issues where he sees them and I back his right to do so, he has been consistent with his message and has been willing to retract mistakes he's made in the past (nephew in a dress saga!) so i assume he's just looking for others to do the same. It's ok to make mistakes so long as you own them and improve.
There are often a few things, in long posts, that I disagree with but not in this case ...
... excellent balanced post imo.
The problem is what Hamilton, and others, say can be taken in various ways by people.
As you say it's sad to to say he 'fought his way out of the slums' and what a kick in the teeth for his mother, especially as the father left when Hamilton was a baby. But 'one man's slum is another man's castle' I suppose.
You could also ponder why a person with a white mother and a black father should always insist he's black.
Is it that the notion of a black man, fighting his way out of the slums, makes his achievement all the greater in his mind and that of others.
Who knows, I certainly don't because all I have are opinions, not facts.
What I can say as fact, having worked there, is that racial discrimination against black people, in his chosen home of Monaco, is open, systemic and disgraceful. I await Hamilton speaking out against this and doing what he's pushing other people to do.
It'll be a long wait ....
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