After having spent a good part of his summer break in Africa, Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 can no longer ignore the latter as a potential destination for the sport.
The seven-time world champion has long advocated for a race on the continent, and with talks scheduled between F1 and representatives of Rwanda in September, his dream might be inching closer to reality.
Ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, when asked if it was the right time for a race to return to Africa, Hamilton was unequivocal.
“One hundred percent! We can't be adding races in other locations and continue to ignore Africa, which the rest of the world just takes from,” commented the future Ferrari driver.
The continent hasn't hosted a Formula 1 race since 1993 in South Afria, but Hamilton believes a Grand Prix would be a boon for the region.
“No one gives anything to Africa,” he added. There's a huge amount of work that needs to be done there. I think a lot of the world that haven't been there don't realise how beautiful the place is, how vast it is.
“I think having a grand prix there, it would really be able to highlight just how great the place is and bring in tourism and all sorts of things. Why are we not on that continent? And the current excuse is that there's not a track that's ready, but there is at least one track that's ready there.
“In the short term, we should just get on that track and have that part of the calendar and then work on building out something moving forward.”
Hamilton's advocacy comes as Formula 1 is in discussions with Rwanda about potentially hosting a Grand Prix. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has confirmed that a meeting with the country’s representatives is set for September, emphasizing that they are serious about bringing a race to the East African country.
"They have presented a good plan and actually we have a meeting with them at the end of September. It will be on a permanent track," the Italian said.
"We want to go to Africa, but we need to have the right investment, and the right strategic plan."
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Hamilton's connection to Africa runs deep. He has spent time traveling across the continent, including a recent visit earlier this month where he engaged in cultural activities and visited a refugee camp in Senegal.
"I went and travelled through Africa, I maximised my time straight from the airport into activities, history, museums," he shared.
"Just cultural experiences in each of the different countries I went to. But there's so much to take from it. I'm still digesting the trip, if I'm being honest.”
During his travels, Hamilton was deeply moved by the people he met and the challenges they face, particularly at the refugee camp.
“Going to a refugee camp and seeing the work that is being done there, how people who are displaced are affected.
“It's one thing reading about it or hearing on the news, but actually seeing and speaking to kids who are walking 10 kilometres to get to school just having education and 10km back. Not having school meals ever, not even being able to eat during the day.”
His experiences in Africa have reinforced his commitment to finding ways to help.
“There's really tough lives over there and it's mostly women and children that are [there]. There wasn't a lot of men there, particularly because they've either [been] killed or taken in the different conflict areas,” he said.
“So that was really heavy to see and experience. And then the history of Senegal and seeing the slave areas, it was really heavy as well to see that, to see what the country's been through, but it's such a beautiful place.
“But yes, through all those experiences I feel it's adding to my compass of what I want to do more of.
“I've been to Africa before, so it's not like the first time I've seen [or] I've been shocked by anything. And it's not that it upsets me, it just gets me working my mind like, okay, it's great to see organisations doing amazing work.
“It's like, ‘Hey, what can I do to get on board? How can I help?’ And so that's now what I'm trying to figure out.”
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