Lewis Hamilton insists he will continue to use his platform to ‘spark conversation’ and ‘change’

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton insists that he will continue to use his platform to speak out about political and social issues, in a bid to incite change. The FIA has come under scrutiny for wanting to suppress political opinions from teams and drivers.

Hamilton, along with former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel, has been one of the most vocal drivers on the grid when it comes to using his platform to speak out.

The Mercedes driver is especially outspoken about racism within motorsport and the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people around the world. The FIA, whilst under Ben Sulayem, decided that it would not take kindly for drivers to speak out about political issues in a bid to remain neutral. Lewis Hamilton believes the world needs more empathy and compassion in order to stand united.

Speaking in an interview with Christian Hewgill, the world champion said:

"We have this platform and I just feel a huge responsibility. I am not just an F1 driver who can just have success and go about my life. This is a platform to really spark change, spark conversation."

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Lewis Hamilton claims 2022 was the greatest year of his career

Lewis Hamilton cited fan support when claiming the 2022 season to be the greatest year of his career. This comes despite him failing to clinch a record-breaking eighth world title. His poor performances were ultimately put down to the W13, which suffered severely from porpoising.

Moreover, Hamilton was beaten by teammate George Russell, who claimed Mercedes' only win of the season and his own first. Despite the setbacks, Hamilton noted the positive points.

In an exclusive interview with Mercedes F1, Lewis Hamilton said:

"The fans continue to keep me going. 2022 has been the greatest year in my career in terms of fan support. There has been so much love and that's so appreciated. The support feels like it is magnified. I felt like we've been on a journey together more than ever before."

With the Silver Arrows' W14 unveiled, top teams like Red Bull and Ferrari have been put on notice. Given Mercedes' improvements throughout last season, they'll likely turn up with high ambitions at lights out in Bahrain this year.