‘This is exactly what is wrong’: Lewis Hamilton saddened and hurt by Bernie Ecclestone’s racism comments

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has criticized “ignorant and uneducated” feedback by former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Hamilton, a six-time world champion and the one Black driver in F1, was shocked by Ecclestone’s declare throughout an interview with broadcaster CNN on Friday that “in lots of cases, Black people are more racist” than white individuals.

“Damn, I just don’t even know where to start on this one … so sad and disappointing to read these comments,” Hamilton posted on Instagram. “This is exactly what is wrong – ignorant and uneducated comments which show us how far we as a society need to go before real equality can happen.”

Ecclestone made his assertion when he was requested his opinion on Hamilton organising a fee to extend range in motorsport.

“I don’t think it’s going to do anything bad or good for Formula One. It will just make people think, which is more important,” Ecclestone replied. “People ought to think a little bit and say ‘what the hell’, somebody’s not the same as white people and that Black people should think the same about white people. Because I think in lots of cases, Black people are more racist than what white people are.”

Challenged to provide proof, Ecclestone replied: “Things over the years I’ve noticed and there’s no need for it.”

Hamilton just lately attended a Black Lives Matter march in London. He has spoken extensively about racism in current weeks after saying he felt “so much anger, sadness and disbelief” following the killing of George Floyd – a handcuffed and unarmed Black man – by a police officer in Minneapolis final month.

“Lewis is a little bit special. First he’s very, very, very talented as a driver and he seems to be now extremely talented when he’s standing up making speeches,” Ecclestone mentioned. “This last campaign he’s doing for the Black people is wonderful. He’s doing a great job and it’s people (who are) easily recognizable that people listen to.”

F1 pledged to extend range in a white-dominated sequence by organising an initiative referred to as “We Race As One. ” F1 chairman Chase Carey adopted up with a private donation of $1 million.

Hamilton has spoken of abuse he obtained all through his profession, courting again to junior days in karting. In 2008 he was racially abused by followers on the Spanish Grand Prix close to Barcelona. Some blacked up their faces whereas carrying black wigs and T-shirts with “Hamilton Family” written on them.

Ecclestone insisted Hamilton had by no means mentioned this, and was stunned Hamilton took offense.

“Well, he knows people have been against him because he said they have, but I’m surprised that it concerns him even,” Ecclestone mentioned. “I’m really unhappy if he took it seriously, I never thought he did. I didn’t think it affected him.”

Ecclestone was evasive about whether or not he ought to have carried out extra to sentence these incidents, contemplating he was in cost.

“Well, I think I did behind the scenes a little bit,” he mentioned. “What else could you do?”

Asked if F1 ought to have carried out extra over time to combat racism, Ecclestone replied “they’re too busy trying to win races or find sponsors, so really other things have little if any interest.”

Hamilton mentioned these feedback have been indicative of a deep-seated drawback.

“It makes complete sense to me now that nothing was said or done to make our sport more diverse or to address the racial abuse I received throughout my career,” Hamilton mentioned. “If someone who has run the sport for decades has such a lack of understanding of the deep rooted issues we as black people deal with every day, how can we expect all the people who work under him to understand? It starts at the top.”

F1 distanced itself from Ecclestone.

“At a time when unity is needed to tackle racism and inequality, we completely disagree with Bernie Ecclestone’s comments that have no place in F1 or society,” F1 mentioned.