Lewis Hamilton has criticised the former leadership of Formula One under Bernie Ecclestone, saying that he felt unable to speak out during that time as he would have been portrayed as “the angry black man.” Hamilton, who is the only black driver in the history of Formula One, has frequently been at odds with Ecclestone over his behaviour, which Ecclestone was forced to apologise for on several occasions.
Even after leaving the sport, Ecclestone has continued to criticise Hamilton, with comments last year causing the new ownership of Formula One to distance themselves from him. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hamilton praised the current leadership of Formula One, saying that they have “more empathy” and are “more open-minded.” He added that the sport has created allies and is now more reflective of the outside world, with a huge fan base.
