Lewis Hamilton: We all need to speak up | Schiff ‘has louder voice’ than trolls

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton spoke up in support of Sky Sports pundit Naomi Schiff after she had her credentials questioned on social media; Trailblazing former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick gave Schiff her backing as well

Lewis Hamilton has vowed to use social media to continue to strive for greater diversity in Formula 1 after showing his support for Naomi Schiff earlier in the week.

Schiff, a professional racing and stunt driver who competed in the W Series back in 2019 before becoming the championship’s Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador, had her credentials questioned on Twitter after appearing in her role as Sky Sports pundit for last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton, who has been subject to social media abuse in the past himself, was quick to show his support for the 28-year-old and reiterated that ahead of the first practice session for the Canadian Grand Prix as well as stating his intention to keep using his platform to call out injustice.

“Ultimately, that’s what I’ve tried to do and that’s what I think social media is for,” Hamilton said. “It’s a great platform to share messages with friends, but there is so much misinformation out there it’s important to discover something and share it.

“It’s a great place and ground to highlight certain issues and topics. Naomi doesn’t need me to speak out for her, but I know what it’s like to be on the end of abuse and racial abuse.

“Representation is so important; we live in a male-dominated sport and Naomi is one of the first people of colour, and one of the only people since I’ve been here, in Formula 1. That’s a huge responsibility to stand and be the only one, and then to receive the hate for nothing is dreadful and unacceptable, so I think it’s important we all stick together.

“She’s doing an amazing job, so for all the young girls out there from different backgrounds who are looking and seeing it is possible to have a role in this sport and ecosystem is so, so important. But ignorance is bliss, right? We all need to speak up, we all need to work together, and we can all be better.”

Hamilton has seen changes since entering Formula 1 in 2007 and cited how the workforce at his Mercedes team has become more and more diverse in recent years.

However, the 37-year-old believes there is still plenty more work to be done, particularly when it comes to getting more women into the sport on the engineering side.

“There is so much work that we need to do to improve the representation and the opportunities for women in all levels within the teams and within the sport,” Hamilton said.

“I think it has progressed a lot. I can only reflect on my own team, for example, when I go back to the factory there’s a huge increase of women coming in, more so in the marketing space and HR but in terms of engineers we’re going to need to encourage more young women and girls out there to get into those subjects and create the opportunities, I think that’s part of my role in the background working with Stefano [Domenicali, Formula 1 Group CEO] and the FIA to make sure that they’re making a more inclusive environment for everyone.

We all need to speak up, we all need to work together, and we can all be better.

Lewis Hamilton

“I arrive here, and we’ve been talking about this for a while, and you don’t see a lot of difference when you’re standing behind the camera or walking down the paddock, it’s not shifted anywhere near as much as I would have hoped for, but it is a conversation that I’m grateful is continuing.”

Patrick: Schiff ‘has a much louder voice’ than trolls

Along with current Formula 1 drivers, trailblazing former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick gave Schiff her backing as well.

Patrick, the first woman to win an IndyCar race and the highest female finisher in NASCAR’s prestigious Daytona 500, is appearing on Sky Sports as a guest pundit for this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.

And she called out those who send abuse on social media.

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Naomi Schiff sits down with Lewis Hamilton to speak about last season in Abu Dhabi, and his aspirations for 2022

“She has a much louder voice than the five seconds the person who has a tweet is going to have,” Patrick said.

“The way I always looked at it was: At least I don’t have a bitter life – because that’s all they can do is shout out negativity.

“It just shows you their headspace and, to be honest, all of the drivers said that and so I just echo them. It’s a situation you’ll never completely cure, but every now and then it’s a little bit fun to poke it and get people to fight the battle for you.”

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