BERLIN - World champion Lewis Hamilton has dismissed
controversial remarks from former Formula one boss Bernie Ecclestone
on racism as "ignorant and uneducated."
Ecclestone told CNN in an interview Thursday that he had lots of
admiration for Hamilton's campaign against racism but that "In lots
of cases black people are more racist than white people."
Hamilton, who has founded the We Race As One initiative to fight for
diversity and against racism, took to Instagram late Friday in an
angry reaction.
"Bernie is out of the sport and a different generation but this is
exactly what is wrong - ignorant and uneducated comments which show
us how far we as a society need to go before real equality can
happen," The Briton said.
"It makes complete sense to me now that nothing was said or done to
make our sport more diverse or to address the racial abuse I received
throughout my career."
"If someone who has run the sport for decades has such a lack of
understanding of the deep routed issues we as black people deal with
every day, how can we expect all the people who work under him to
understand. It starts at the top."
Ecclestone ruled the sports for decade but F1 is now run by Liberty
Media who earlier Friday also distanced themselves from the
89-year-old.
"At a time when unity is needed to tackle racism and inequality, we
completely disagree with Bernie Ecclestone's comments that have no
place in Formula 1 or society," a statement said.
"Mr Ecclestone has played no role in Formula 1 since he left our
organisation in 2017, his title Chairman Emeritus, being honorific,
expired in January 2020."