Lewis Hamilton Covers WSJ, Named Magazine’s First-Ever Sports Innovator

Published: Wednesday 27th Oct 2021 by Sam

Lewis Hamilton‘s seismic success is celebrated on the cover of WSJ‘s Innovators Issue.

En route to becoming the most decorated Formula 1 champion ever, the superstar sportsman’s story is defined by overcoming obstacles, sliding past curves, and conquering the circuits the world over.

And now he’s on a quest to make the sport more accessible for all.

Named the magazine’s first-ever Sports Innovator, the 36-year-old opened up to the publications about his illustrious career, racism, and making a change.

Pics and quotes below…

Hamilton on his Breonna Taylor statement T-shirt at Mugello:

For the statement to land, nothing else would do. “I can’t be second,” he told himself. “I’m wearing that shirt; I’ve got to get to first to bring light to her name.”

He took the checkered flag for the 90th time in his F1 career. Then, he says, “I get these nerves like, Shoot, I’m about to break the rules and people aren’t going to be happy

with it.”
The sport’s authorities announced shortly after Mugello that drivers must go through the entire post-race protocol wearing their driving suits closed to the neck.

“Well,” Hamilton says with a shrug when I remind him, “they’ve changed a lot of rules after a lot of things that I’ve done.”

Hamilton on diversity in the sport:

“My dad and I would watch people like Tiger [Woods] who kind of broke the mold, and we watched in admiration. The Williams sisters also did the same,” he says. “We’re like, ‘Oh, if we could do something like that, that’s going to help change the industry moving forward.’”

A jarring realization hit him at the end of the 2019 season as he looked at photos of his team celebrating its sixth straight title. “I zoomed in on them, from the F1 Instagram,” he says. “I’ve been here 15 years, 14 years—how has it not changed? I was really sad about it. I was frustrated and sad.”

Hamilton on racism he’s experienced:

At one event in Spain in 2008, people showed up in blackface, wearing shirts that read “Hamilton’s Family,” before trying to explain that blackface and offensive T-shirts somehow weren’t racist. “I remember the pain that I felt that day, but I didn’t say anything about it; I didn’t have anyone,” he says. “No one said anything.”

“I saw people continuing in my industry and staying quiet.”

Hamilton on pushing for accountability and change in his contract:

Not only did Hamilton’s latest contract, signed during the 2021 season, include stipulations for increasing diversity within the team—Hamilton also spoke directly with the team’s sponsors asking them to do the same. “Where are you guys at?” he remembers asking the CEO of the Monster energy drink company, which has backed him since 2013. “How are you guys holding yourself accountable? How can we work together? If one says, ‘No, we’re totally fine; we don’t need to do it,’” Hamilton adds, “I won’t be working with them.”

Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolf on Hamilton:

“We must stop putting people into boxes. Everybody functions differently,” Wolf tells me. “If you’re as successful, who can hold it against you? Seven-time world champion, you hold the records in the most wins and the pole positions, you can show up with a pink suede tracksuit…. If you’re not winning, people will see you as a fool.”

Wolf on whether there would be a push for diversity at F1 without Hamilton:

“Maybe initiatives would have taken place, but certainly not in the dimension that Lewis triggered,” he says.

Lewis disagrees:

“I’m pretty sure that nothing would’ve changed,” he says. “I’m 36 years old; I’ve been wondering, Why me? Why am I the only Black driver that’s got through to Formula 1, and not only that—I’m at the front? There’s got to be a bigger reason for me being here.”

Your thoughts?

[Photo Credit:  CASS BIRD for WSJ. Magazine]

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  1. Clarks0o00ñ October 27, 2021

    He use to be so hot back in the day

    • Are You Kidding Me? October 27, 2021

      You date boring white boys that look like Tom Holland. NOBODY cares what you find attractive you degenerate racist misogynistic piece of trash.

      • Shayla Queen™ 👑 October 27, 2021

        Being a well-spoken, well-mannered, respectful white gentleman is “boring” to YOU as you’re accustomed to street-lurking, woman-beating criminals in the hood! 🤣 As IF you’d even stand a CHANCE with Tom Holland! You know your ass would never be on ANYONE like his’ radar! That’s why you MAD mad! lmaoooooooooo 🤣 In your fantasies, baby!

      • Ughh October 27, 2021

        Oh here we go again. Somebody utters a derogatory statement about “white men” and Shayla’s foaming at the mouth with indignation. NOBODY CARES! Your white crusade is misplaced, tired and thirsty. Just like you.

    • Marylins BACK 👠 October 27, 2021

      And your still an ugly black gay little sissy roach that stans an illegal a** that’s no longer on the charts !!Diva knows that’s right 💅🏻💅🏻💯💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻

  2. marilyn monh-O-E ® 👠(#1 DIVA) October 27, 2021

    Yummy Black man 💋💅🏿

    • Marylins BACK 👠 October 27, 2021

      Stfu crusty imposter. Don’t nobody want your filthy s** riddin WIDE nasty hole 🤢 🤮 🤮🤮. Filthy dumb stank a**! 💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻

      • marilyn monh-O-E ® 👠(#1 DIVA) October 27, 2021

        Bye h o e 💅🏿💅🏿💅🏿 I’m totally ignore this piece of trash 🗑

  3. Shayla Queen™ 👑 October 27, 2021

    No interest in this arrogant, divisive, story-telling loon 🥱

    • Are You Kidding Me? October 27, 2021

      Cvckson, get a life. Lewis Hamilton is one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet and a beautiful man. Tom Holland is the definition of white mediocrity. There are plenty of average and gorgeous Black actors with more talent who don’t get HALF the attention he does. All white people have to do is exist and have no lips to get praise. We actually have to work to deserve to be in the room. Black actors are absolutely killing it and just because old child abusers don’t give them awards, doesn’t take anything away from them. Imagine worshipping people who were SO LAZY they had to go to another continent to kidnap the hardest working people who built pyramids that stood the test of time and gaslighted our features so that Voldemort nosed aging like milk white people didn’t feel threatened. Africans throughout history are described as the most beautiful and intelligent and duh..we were here first. While white people had plagues and were devolving, Africans had the Library of Timbuktu and others and Mansa Musa had so much wealth, he reinvigorated/crashed several economies of local nations. Don’t you EVER fix your uneducated, illiterate, googles big words to get on my level fingers to address me again.

    • Marylins BACK 👠 October 27, 2021

      @troll No one likes you b****. Stfu and attempt that s****** again 💯💯💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻

  4. J October 27, 2021

    😍 my husband Lewis. Come sit on my face. ride my goatee all night long bb 👅💦 🥵

  5. Urban MILF October 28, 2021

    Unimpressed.

    Hit many girls’ biological clocks’ snooze button knowing he wasn’t the marriage type.

    “Black may not crack but it folds!” ~ Toni Braxton

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