Lewis Hamilton has revealed he believes there should be a major change to drivers' contracts as he pushes for fairer rights for drivers on the grid.
Hamilton has been known for his advocacy for diversity and equality within F1, having shown support on both his helmets and his raceway in recent years, but now the 40-year-old has opened up on another area that needs work within the paddock.
The seven-time world champion has been enduring a difficult season with Ferrari. He made the blockbuster announcement at the beginning of 2024 that he would be leaving Mercedes after 12 years but the fairytale move has not gone as planned.
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The Briton has failed to score a Grand Prix podium for the Scuderia, with Charles Leclerc outperforming him.
Lewis Hamilton has revealed there needs to be work done to driver contracts
|Reuters
Hamilton has now revealed that drivers are highly restricted within their contracts, and that they are prevented from talking to other teams while under contract:
“I also think the F1 system needs to evolve. Drivers are tied to contracts that prevent them from talking to other teams. They can't even talk to other teams. F1 has grown enormously; revenues have exploded—from 700 million to over 3 billion," he said.
He continued: “This growth isn't reflected in all employees. Their salaries haven't evolved like the business. There's still a big lack of diversity in the paddock; a lot of things still need to change in our sport.”
Diversity has been a strong talking point for Hamilton, during the 2020 season, Hamilton regularly wore “Black Lives Matter” t-shirts, and he also adorned the top of his helmet with the phrase.
The seven-time champion has also founded Mission 44, which is focused on increasing diversity within F1 and also the sustainability of the sport, something the champion is very passionate about.
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Lewis Hamilton could only finish 12th at the Hungarian Grand Prix
|Reuters
“In the past, drivers like Niki Lauda pushed for more safety. Today, we need to create more access and more opportunities. When we go to all these countries, we have to avoid leaving a mess. There should be upcycling and a real recycling system,” he concluded.
Following the race at the Hungaroring, Hamilton revealed that there “would be tears” as he heads into his first summer break as a Ferrari driver.
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Hamilton said: "The last god knows how many seasons have been hard in their own way. This one has definitely been the most intense one, I would say, just from a work perspective.
"Integrating into a new culture and into a new team. It's not gone smoothly in all areas, and it's been a real battle.
The Briton has struggled so far at Ferrari
|Reuters
"I definitely need to get away and recharge, be around the kids, laugh, let go. I'm sure there'll be some tears at some point and I think that's really healthy."
Hamilton is next in action at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31.