Six-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton took to social media on Sunday to denounce the silence of his peers over racial injustice and the murder in Minneapolis of unarmed Black man George Floyd.
Anguish and rage swept across several major cities in the US this weekend in response to the 46-year-old African American's death last Thursday while in the custody of the police.
Mass protests erupted across the country, sparking unrest and violence, with more than 20 US cities imposing curfews while National Guard members have been activated in 15 states.
Well-known public figures from the world of sports and entertainment have voiced their support for the protests and the 'Black Lives Matter' movement, including Hamilton who took to Instagram on Sunday to condemn the F1 community for "staying silent" over Floyd's killing.
"I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice," Hamilton wrote. "
"Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport. I’m one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone.
"I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can’t stand alongside us. Just know I know who you are and I see you..."
McLaren driver Lando Norris has displayed a message on his Twitch bio reading: "Sign BLM petitions #BLACKLIVESMATTER."
In a second post on Instagram later in the day, Hamilton added: "I do not stand with those looting and burning buildings but those who are protesting peacefully.
"There can be no peace until our so called leaders make change. This is not just America, this is the UK, this is Spain, this is Italy and all over.
"The way minorities are treated has to change, how you educate those in your classism and that we are all the same! We are not born with racism and hate in our hearts, it is taught by those we look up to."
In the past, Hamilton, who grew up in a modest council house in Stevenage, Great Britain, working his way up motorsport's ladder with dignity and brilliance to become F1's first black driver to win the world title and one of the highest paid athletes in the world, has often voiced his concerns over Formula 1's lack of diversity, calling for changes in the sport as it moves forward.
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