Lewis Hamilton has declared his intention to remain in Formula 1 until the sport stages a grand prix on African soil, a cause he has championed behind the scenes for the past six or seven years, while also calling for land to be ‘taken back’ from Britain.
The seven-time world champion revealed he has been ‘fighting in the background’ about the absence of racing on the continent.
“I don’t want to leave the sport without having a grand prix there, without getting to race there,” Hamilton said. “I’m chasing them – when is it going to be?”
The British driver, whose father has Afro-Caribbean heritage and mother is white, acknowledged feeling pressure as potential dates are discussed.
He added: “They’re setting certain dates. I’m like, damn, I could be running out of time, so I’m going to be here for a while until that happens, because that would be amazing, given that I’m half-African.”
Despite Hamilton’s determination, the likelihood of an African race materialising before the end of this decade remains slim.
F1’s first black driver acknowledged that the sport’s bosses are “really trying” to bring a grand prix to the continent, but no race appears imminent on the calendar.
Lewis Hamilton has declared his intention to remain in Formula 1 until the sport stages a grand prix on African soil, a cause he has championed behind the scenes for the past six or seven years, while also calling for land to be ‘taken back’ from Britain
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Rwanda emerged as the most recent potential host nation, though those prospects have since faded.
Negotiations to return to South Africa also proved unsuccessful, with discussions around both the Kyalami circuit near Johannesburg and a potential Cape Town venue ultimately collapsing.
Kyalami previously featured on the F1 calendar from 1967 to 1985 and again in 1992-93, during the apartheid era in South Africa.
F1 facts fans might not know | GETTY/GBNEWSHamilton also voiced strong concerns about the ongoing exploitation of African nations by wealthier Western countries, too.
“It is the most beautiful part of the world, and I don’t like that the rest of the world owns so much of it and takes so much from it and no-one speaks about it,” Hamilton said.
The Ferrari driver called for African leaders to work together to reclaim control of their nations’ resources.
“Take it back from the French. Take it back from the Spanish. Take it back from the Portuguese and the British,” he urged.
Hamilton argued that Africa possesses the natural resources to become the most powerful region globally, suggesting this wealth is precisely why external control persists.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed he has undergone a significant mental transformation following a challenging debut campaign with Ferrari in 2025.
Lewis Hamilton has insisted he is feeling refreshed ahead of the new season | REUTERSDuring that difficult period, the British driver made self-critical remarks, describing himself as “useless” and admitting he was “not looking forward” to racing.
“As I said in one of my posts, I kind of lost sight for a second of who I was. And that person’s gone. You won’t see that person again,” Hamilton stated.
The 40-year-old credited intensive winter training, including sessions on Christmas Day, with helping him develop a more positive mindset.
After a year adapting to Ferrari’s distinct working culture, Hamilton expressed feeling considerably more integrated with the Italian team heading into the new campaign.