Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes: ‘A bittersweet ending, but the achievements remain indelible’
Hamilton’s legacy at Mercedes goes beyond on-track performances and record-breaking performances. He has led the movement to push for more diversity and inclusion – not just at Mercedes, but in F1 as a whole.
As F1’s only black driver and its most famous figure, Hamilton has a unique platform and is determined to use it for good.
“The thing I’m most proud of,” Hamilton said, “when I think about my legacy, and I hope in a positive way, is the work we’ve done on diversity and inclusion.
“From the first moment we sat down with Toto, he and the entire team were open-minded. They have all taken diversity and inclusion courses.
“We have a very diverse team now and I’m very grateful to be a part of it.
“I said to Toto: ‘When I leave the team, there’s not going to be anyone in the room having these cool conversations with you, because I’m that guy and I want you to continue to be like that.’ And he said he would.”
“He’s definitely a guy who gives impulses, changes things, does things,” Wolfe said.
“Mercedes knows its responsibility on topics such as diversity and combating racism or anti-Semitism. This has always been something we are absolutely targeting and it is also the group’s responsibility.
“When he comes, we look at things from a different angle and a different perspective that he gives us.”
Among other changes, Mercedes has launched a program called Accelerate 25, which requires 25% of all new hires to come from underrepresented backgrounds.
“His impact will leave an indelible mark on our team,” Shovlin said. “It’s not just the work he does to promote diversity within the team and within F1 more broadly. It’s also the values he has, how he goes about his work, his commitment. He’s very open and honest about his emotional side.
“It’s awesome that he has the energy to keep doing this. Because it’s not something he can say: ‘I’ve got a great idea, let’s do this.'” Over the years, he’s spent a lot of energy keeping these things going The topic is on the agenda. “
