Lewis Hamilton has recently called for a collective effort to “reclaim Africa,” stating his belief that the continent remains “controlled” by various European nations.
Ahead of the commencement of the new Formula 1 season, the seven-time world champion articulated his ambition to participate in a Grand Prix held on African soil before the conclusion of his racing career.
However, the 41-year-old British driver, renowned as F1’s inaugural Black racer, expanded on his views. He suggested that former colonial powers continue to exert undue influence in the region and urged action to reverse this impact.
The Ferrari driver shared with reporters in Melbourne: “My heritage stems from several places there, such as Togo and Benin. I am incredibly proud of that region of the world.”
“I consider it the most beautiful part of the world, and it deeply bothers me that the rest of the world possesses so much of it and extracts so much from it, yet no one discusses it. My sincere hope is that the leaders managing those different countries will all unite, come together, and take Africa back.”
“That’s precisely what I wish to see. Reclaim it from the French, reclaim it from the Spanish, reclaim it from the Portuguese, and the British. This is vitally important for the future of that continent. They possess all the resources to become the greatest and most powerful place globally, and that is likely why they are being controlled in their current manner.”
Concerning the specific topic of an African Grand Prix, he reiterated his long-standing advocacy for the concept and his personal hopes of witnessing its realization before his retirement.
“For the past six, perhaps seven years, I’ve been campaigning discreetly to secure a Grand Prix… meeting with stakeholders and posing the question, ‘Why aren’t we in Africa?'” he stated.
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“I am determined not to leave the sport without a Grand Prix taking place there, without having the opportunity to race there, so I’m actively pursuing it. They’re establishing specific dates; I think, ‘Damn, I might be running out of time,’ so I intend to remain here for a while until that occurs. That would be absolutely incredible, given my half-African heritage.”
“There’s one on every other continent, so why not Africa? I know they’re putting in significant effort.”
Having journeyed extensively across the continent, Hamilton presented his own ideas for potential host countries, adding: “I truly loved Kenya — though I don’t anticipate we’ll have a Grand Prix in Kenya — but Rwanda, in particular, was spectacular. South Africa is breathtaking.”
“I believe those are the locations that I think would be prime candidates for us to potentially visit.”