Hamilton remains committed to diversity despite Trump’s opposition – Lewis Hamilton has never shied away from using his platform to promote equality, and that stance remains unchanged despite the recent political climate in the United States. As former President Donald Trump continues his campaign against diversity programmes, the seven-time Formula One World Champion remains steadfast in his commitment to inclusion and equality.

As the only black driver in the history of Formula 1, Hamilton has long been an advocate for diversity in motorsport and beyond. He has invested in initiatives aimed at creating more opportunities for under-represented groups and continues to push for systemic change. His recent statements reaffirm his commitment to this cause, even in the face of growing political opposition.

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Hamilton’s commitment to diversity

Speaking to Time magazine, Hamilton made it clear that his work to promote diversity is far from over. “All I can do is make sure that in my area, in my environment, I try to promote people,” he explained. “There will be forces along the way that don’t want that, for reasons I can’t fathom. But that won’t stop me. It’s a battle we’re just going to keep fighting.

Hamilton’s comments come at a time when Trump and his allies have been vocal in their opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, arguing that such initiatives unfairly disadvantage other groups. The former president and his administration have claimed that DEI programmes lower standards and reduce competence, despite a lack of evidence to support these claims.

Hamilton is undeterred. His mission has never been about exclusion, but about ensuring that talented people from all backgrounds have a fair chance in motorsport and other industries.

His efforts include the Hamilton Commission, which is investigating the barriers to black participation in motorsport, and his continued work with Mission 44, an initiative focused on widening opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds.

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Settling in at Ferrari

As he continues his advocacy work off the track, Hamilton is also in the midst of a significant career change. After more than a decade with Mercedes, he has made a much-anticipated move to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season. He is currently taking part in pre-season testing in Bahrain, where he is familiarising himself with his new car and team.

Hamilton’s early performances with Ferrari have been promising. That said, the deeper analysis showed that Ferrari was on average almost half a second per lap slower than Lando Norris in the McLaren currently.

Ferrari’s strong pace in the first sector of the Bahrain circuit, which consisted mainly of straight sections, raised eyebrows. It suggested the possibility of a deliberately throttled engine – a not uncommon practice in testing to disguise true performance levels.

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During the second day of testing in Bahrain, Hamilton secured second place on the timing charts, finishing just behind Williams driver Carlos Sainz. His Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc was close behind, while Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg finished the session in 16th place.

With the season opener in Melbourne fast approaching, Hamilton and Ferrari are working to refine the performance of their car. The Australian Grand Prix on 16 March marks the start of a gruelling 24-race calendar, with reigning champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull once again expected to be the main contenders.

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A champion on and off the track

Hamilton’s influence extends far beyond racing. His voice carries weight not only within the sport, but also in wider societal discussions about equality and representation. Whether through his work to increase diversity in motorsport or his vocal stance against discrimination, he has consistently used his platform to push for change.

Despite political opposition from the likes of Trump, Hamilton remains resolute in his mission. His commitment to promoting diversity in F1 and beyond is a fight he refuses to give up. While his primary focus this season will be on securing his eighth world title with Ferrari, his advocacy for inclusion will remain a defining aspect of his legacy – both on and off the track.

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MORE F1 NEWS – Testing data deep dive: The F1 pecking order is emerging

Of course testing is just testing and teams run different levels of fuel together with different power unit settings, yet there are aspects of the various kinds of runs the teams choose to make which give a much firmer kind of data.

Red Bull were handicapped by a water pressure problem which saw Liam Lawson miss out on some of the track time on day 2. Further, the team did not perform any long run race simulations which may be left to Max Verstappen tomorrow.

Yet in the afternoon McLaren (Lando Norris), Ferrari (Charles Leclerc) and Mercedes (Kimi Antonelli) all performed a number of race simulation long runs.

The headline from the data is that across a 57 lap Grand Prix in Bahrain,  Lando Norris was an enormous 32.3 seconds ahead of Leclerc, with Antonelli a further 2.4 seconds behind.

The first thing to remember when considering Mercedes is that Kimi Antonelli being a rookie would probably be slower than George Russell and so the numbers from the Mercedes runs may well be…READ MORE ON THIS STORY