The Formula One racing champion has been named 2020's Game Changer by GQ magazine at the first-ever annual awards ceremony following his support for Black Lives Matter.
- Nov 27, 2020
AceShowbiz - Formula One racing star Lewis Hamilton has been named GQ's Game Changer of the Year.
The sporting hero will be honoured at the annual GQ Men of The Year Awards ceremony, which is going virtual for the first time this year (20) amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking to the publication, Hamilton opened up about his experiences with racism in his younger years, explaining, "I started experiencing racism when I was five and people looked upon it so lightly, when someone would throw out these words, the bullying and the beatings and the intimidation."
"My dad always said, 'Do your talking on the track,' so I held my tongue, but we suppress a lot of things and all my suppressed emotions came up and I was like, 'You know what? I have to do something. I cannot stay silent.' If we all stay silent, it will continue for generations. I look at my niece and nephew and do not want them to experience what I experienced."
The 35-year-old also caused a commotion by raising awareness of the Breonna Taylor case during the Tuscan Grand Prix, leading to racing stars being banned from wearing T-shirts with political statements.
However, he insists he'd do the same again "if I believe it is important enough," telling the publication, "Every weekend that I arrive we have the spotlight on us and every weekend there is an opportunity to raise awareness.
"We don't live in a time when everything is OK. And I remember as I went through the day I was like, 'OK, I've got to win this race. I can't come second and wear this top,' " he shared. "I put that shirt on and in the 70 years of our sport, no one's ever stood up there for anything but themselves. And I was standing up there for someone else."
The GQ Men of the Year Awards 2020 take place on 26 November (20) at 8 pm GMT. Tune in here: youtube.com.
