Formula 1 Drivers Kneel In Protest Against Racism Prior To First Race

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Lewis Hamilton
Formula 1 is looking to make a statement about racism.

Due to the Coronavirus, Formula 1 was forced to delay the start of their season, while also changing around the order of some of the tracks. Today, the season began in Austria, where superstar Lewis Hamilton is looking to win his fourth-straight championship. Hamilton is the sport's only black driver and ever since the protests began in the United States, Hamilton has been speaking up about racism, with a focus on the auto-racing industry as a whole.

Today, Formula 1 decided to take Hamilton's challenge to heart, as many drivers sports "End Racism" shirts, while Hamilton's tee read, "Black Lives Matter." In fact, prior to the race, Hamilton and various other drivers knelt during the National Anthem, as a way to protest against racism. The protest was identical to the one imposed by Colin Kaepernick all the way back in 2016.

In terms of the race, Hamilton's teammate Valteri Bottas started on the pole, while Hamilton started fifth. The race is currently still going, with Bottas in first and Hamilton all the way up to second.

This season could be huge for Hamilton as he is eyeing his seventh championship which would tie Michael Schumacher for first all-time. He can also beat Schumacher's win total if he performs consistently throughout the year.


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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