A series of powerful messages as F1’s most open and outspoken driver have acted as a catalyst for change within the sport in his quest for equality amid his ongoing fight against racism and injustice.
But Hamilton’s influence also extends beyond the cosmos of F1, having used his platform as a top-level athlete and celebrity figure for good by pedalling important topics such as environmental concerns and animal welfare.
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Most recently, Hamilton has spread awareness of mental health through his support of Naomi Osaka.
The four-time Grand Slam singles tennis champion released a statement in the build up to the French Open saying she was not going to take part in media duties, citing the impact of news conferences on the mental health of athletes.
Osaka won her first round tie but was fined $15,000 for refusing to take part in the post-match press conference. She was warned by Grand Slam organisers she could face harsher sanctions including expulsion from future events if she continued her media boycott.
The 23-year-old responded by announcing she was withdrawing from the tournament after revealing she has been struggling with anxiety and depression.
Mental health is not a joke, this is real and serious. This takes a lot of courage to do. Let's all make sure Naomi knows she's not alone. Today is a good day to check and ask your friends and loved ones how they are doing and let them know they are not alone. publicly criticised his team.
In today’s press conference, Hamilton acknowledged that “in the heat of the moment, you don’t always say the best things.”
And Hamilton is not alone. One of Briton’s rising F1 stars, 23-year-old George Russell, recently received backlash for his actions in the immediate aftermath of his high-speed crash with Valtteri Bottas at Imola.
Is it time to change how F1 media operates?
With the Osaka situation bringing the dynamic between elite athletes and the media into the spotlight, has the time come for the traditional press conference format to be freshened up?
“I think it’s a really good question, but I haven’t put really any thought to that because I’ve just come here to do my job,” Hamilton responded when asked if changes should be considered in F1.
“I’ve learned the hard way and made many a mistake and I still do today. It can be daunting, still, standing behind a camera. It’s not the easiest.
“Particularly if you’re an introvert and you do struggle to be under those sorts of pressures. Some people are less comfortable with it than others.
“I’ve learned over my time here, and I’m trying to continue to learn how I engage. But as I said, when I was young I was thrown into the pit and I wasn’t given any guidance or support.
“What I do know is when youngsters are coming in, they’re facing the same thing as I did. And I don’t necessarily know if that’s the best for them. I think we need to be supporting more. It shouldn’t be a case where you’re pressured.
“There are scenarios where, for example with Naomi’s scenario, she didn’t feel comfortable for her own personal health not to do something and the backlash is ridiculous.
“People are not taking into account that she’s a human being and she’s saying that [she’s] not well enough to do this right now. I think that need to be really looked into and how people react to that and rather be supportive and uplifting to her.”
McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo believes it has become “very easy just to see someone as their profession, but not from a wider aspect of what they really are in their day-to-day life” as he called on the media to be more considerate.
“People always have other things going on,” he added. “A decision like that just needs to be respected and people just need to respect that with an open-mind. If someone needs space, give it to them.
“In general, the media have to be careful with how they write things. People can be quite sensitive and feelings are real. No one seems to be bulletproof, so have some things taken into account when going after someone.”
His McLaren teammate Lando Norris has been particularly open in talking about battling his own demons since arriving in F1 in 2019, revealing that he feared anxiety and confidence issues risked impacting his second season in the sport.
Working with a mind coach throughout 2019 ultimately helped ease some of his struggles in his first season and Norris is now in a position where he feels comfortable dealing with his mental health on his own.
McLaren has a partnership with the mental health charity Mind as part of its support for F1’s #WeRaceAsOne campaign, and Norris believes great strides have been made over the past year in helping to spread awareness of the topic.
“We have our partnership with Mind and we do a lot of things with them, a lot of things within the team,” he explained.
“It’s not just for the drivers, but mechanics, engineers, people back in the factory to allow them to speak up. To allow them to say what they want to say.
“And make the whole atmosphere within the team feel better, and allow people to say what they want to say and allow themselves to feel better too.
“It has changed but only because it has been more and more advanced, and talking about it more, and people will be more open about it and things like that. So from my side I feel a lot better.
“I feel mentally in a better position. I feel I can be confident saying that a lot of the team are as well.”
Hamilton says that one of the biggest lessons he has learned over his F1 career is that athletes should never feel pressured to live up to certain expectations at the expense of their mental health.
“I think a bit like Naomi, never sacrifice your personal health or your mental state to expectations that society puts on you,” he said.
“Do what’s best for you to keep you in the right place. As long as you are respectful, which she was and I believe always has been.”
It has been refreshing and welcome to witness Hamilton develop into an eloquent, mature and considerate individual over the past few years.
Perhaps Hamilton’s latest comments will resonate and spark a re-think of how the relationship between the media and sports stars works.
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for Crash.net around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
