Lewis Hamilton has expressed his commitment to enhancing diversity at Ferrari as he prepares to join the team from Mercedes in the 2025 Formula 1 season. He highlighted that Ferrari faces significant strides in this realm, emphasizing the imperative need for progress.
The bond between Hamilton and Mercedes transcends the confines of the racetrack, as evidenced by their collaborative efforts in various social endeavors in recent times.
In an interaction with the media during pre-season testing in Bahrain, Hamilton disclosed his intention to replicate such endeavors with Ferrari. He cited positive discussions with Ferrari’s chairman, John Elkann, and Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of Formula 1, as catalysts for this aspiration.
Hamilton’s proactive stance underscores his dedication to fostering inclusivity and diversity within the motorsport realm. His forthcoming transition to Ferrari signals a pivotal juncture not only in his racing career but also in advancing these fundamental values within the sport.
“I’m immensely proud of the work that we’ve done within Mercedes,” Hamilton stated.
“Since 2020, we’ve made some real great strides in improving the diversity within the team.
“For example, within HR, we’ve got a diverse HR group, and that will continue beyond me, which is something I’m really proud of and I’m proud of the team for pushing so far ahead.
“I think we are ahead of every other team in that respect and there still is a huge amount of work within the whole sport, which I’m speaking [about] to Stefano constantly.
“I’m looking to work more with Formula 1 and, of course, you look at Ferrari [and] they have a lot of work to do.
“I’ve already made that a priority in speaking with John and they’re super excited to get on and work on it also.”
Hamilton additionally affirmed his intention to embark on learning Italian in preparation for his transition to Maranello. However, he underscored that his tenure with Mercedes has not concluded, emphasizing his determination to conclude it “on a high” in 2024.
When questioned regarding the possibility of learning Italian, he stated: “In all these years, I’ve not managed to learn any other languages, but of course, I will definitely try.
“I do remember when I was karting in Italy and I was able to pick up a few lines, so hopefully that will come back to me pretty quickly.
“But this chapter is still not finished, I’m still 100 percent focused on delivering for this team this year and trying to finish on a high.
“That’s a big, big goal for me and the team and I have absolute faith in everything, everyone in the team, and what we’ve done so far I think is great.
“So I really hope that we are somehow able to close the gaps to the Red Bulls.”
In 2024, Hamilton will be striving to break free from a streak of three consecutive seasons without a win.
His most recent triumph dates back to the penultimate round of the 2021 season in Saudi Arabia, just seven days before the highly contentious title showdown in Abu Dhabi, where he was controversially dethroned by Max Verstappen in a much-debated climax.
