By Daniil Antonov
In July 2021, the Hamilton Commission published its findings on inequality in motorsport. The report, published in June 2020 in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, examined the lack of representation of colored people in Formula 1 and related engineering fields.
Strikingly, the commission found that less than 1% of trackside Formula 1 engineers are black. When assessing career inequalities, the report finds that only two students with a Caribbean background achieved an A * in Physics A-Level in 2019.
Sir Lewis Hamilton has spearheaded the task of raising awareness of inequalities in motorsport for the past few months. Hamilton and Toto Wolff, Mercedes F1 Team Principal, developed the Accelerate 25 program, in which Mercedes is targeting 25% of new employees with a BAME background.
As part of their “We Race As One” campaign with donations from non-executive chairman Chase Carey, F1 leadership plans to offer engineering grants to students with underrepresented backgrounds.
Driver initiatives like the one led by Hamilton are likely to face challenges in F1’s muddy politics
With only 2% of the 500,000 teachers in England having a black background, the Commission urges the Department of Education to do more to improve the experience of minority students.
It highlights the lack of role models to inspire students, coupled with limited informal opportunities after school, as key factors discouraging students from pursuing careers in engineering or motorsport.
The international sports platform gives Formula 1 the opportunity to set an example for the millions who watch the race weekends. However, driver initiatives such as the one led by Hamilton are likely to face challenges in F1’s muddy politics. Interests of drivers, sponsors, teams, FIA motorsport authorities and countries can collide.
Many of the races on the F1 calendar are paid for by the host country governments. This year races will be held in Russia, Bahrain, Singapore, Azerbaijan and, for the first time in F1 history, in Saudi Arabia. It will likely be difficult for F1 teams and drivers to balance their efforts to promote equality with host country human rights records. The drivers’ political activism must therefore be tempered by sponsorships and the need to please the host country, which is a difficult compromise.
In December 2021, Formula 1 will be driving in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the first time. The route will be a street circuit that runs through downtown Jeddah on the shores of the Red Sea at night.
Amnesty International, along with other human rights organizations, has criticized the hosting of the race in Jeddah, citing Saudi Arabia’s treatment of religious minorities, women’s civil rights and the aftermath of the Jamal Khashoggi case.
Formula 1’s efforts to promote equality in the UK, while noble, may just be a drop in the ocean
The inclusion of Saudi Arabia on the calendar calls Formula 1 sustainability initiatives into question, as the host country is one of the world’s largest producers of fossil fuels. Honda, the engine supplier to current World Cup leader Max Verstappen, announced that it would be leaving the sport at the end of 2021.
Despite building a race-winning engine, Honda stuck with its decision to leave the sport. Internal combustion engine vehicle sales are slated to be banned in the UK by 2030, with other European nations following suit.
F1 and motorsport need to adapt to such changes, but also nurture relationships with their lucrative sponsors and supporters, many of whom are fossil-fueled.
F1’s governing body has discussed the introduction of sustainable fuels and stated that it wants to be CO2 neutral by 2030. Races in countries whose income comes primarily from fossil fuel production represent a gap between goals and reality that F1 executives must grapple with.
Formula 1’s efforts to promote equality in the UK, while noble, may just be a drop in the ocean. By contributing to the “lingerie” tactics of authoritarian regimes, they can do more harm than good, but in a sport where “cash king” is, it will be difficult to avoid tempting offers.
The effectiveness of Formula 1 depends on finding the right balance. Teams and drivers can use their platform to address issues in the host countries. However, they have to balance this with the interests of the host country and sponsors, without which the show cannot go on.
Photo credit: Vishwaant via Creative Commons
