In a powerful and emotional address at the Australian Grand Prix, Formula 1 icon Lewis Hamilton has called upon the people of Africa to "take back" their continent from foreign control. The seven-time world champion, who is of African descent, spoke uninterrupted for three minutes about his deep connection to Africa and his frustration over its exploitation.
A Personal Mission for African Representation in F1
Hamilton, F1's first black driver, has been a vocal advocate for bringing a Grand Prix to Africa, the only habitable continent without a race on the calendar. He revealed that for the past six or seven years, he has been working behind the scenes with stakeholders to make this a reality. "I've been fighting in the background to get a grand prix," Hamilton stated. "Sitting with stakeholders and asking the question, 'why are we not in Africa? There's one on every other continent, why not Africa?'"
Hamilton's African Travels and Race Location Preferences
The 41-year-old driver, now in his 20th consecutive season and second with Ferrari, has visited ten African countries during recent summer breaks, including Kenya, Rwanda, Benin, Senegal, and Nigeria. He expressed particular admiration for Rwanda and South Africa as potential host nations for a future F1 event. "Rwanda particularly was spectacular. Two places I felt like I could live," Hamilton said. "South Africa is stunning. I think those are the ones I think would be good places for us to potentially go to."
Hamilton emphasized his personal commitment: "I don't want to leave the sport without having a grand prix there, without getting to race there, so I'm chasing them: 'when is it going to be?!' They're setting certain dates... 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."
A Call for Unity and Sovereignty
The British racing driver then shifted to a broader political message, expressing his hope that African nations would unite to reclaim their continent from historical colonial powers. "I don't like that the rest of the world owns so much of it [Africa] and takes so much from it and no one speaks about it," Hamilton declared. "I'm really hoping that the people who are running those different countries all unite and come together and take Africa back. That's what I want to see. Take it back from the French, take it back from the Spanish, take it back from the Portuguese and the British."
Belief in Africa's Potential
Hamilton went on to assert his belief that Africa possesses the resources to become "the most powerful place in the world." He suggested that this very potential might be why the continent faces external control. "They have all the resources to be the greatest and most powerful place in the world, and that's probably why they are being controlled the way they are," he reasoned.
The driver also spoke proudly of his African heritage, mentioning roots in Togo and Benin, and stated, "It's something I'm really, really proud of. I'm really proud of that part of the world."
On-Track Ambitions for 2026
This passionate speech comes as Hamilton aims to recover from a challenging first season with Ferrari, where he failed to secure a podium finish. The 2026 F1 season opener is set for Sunday in Melbourne, Australia, with Hamilton looking to bounce back on the track while continuing his advocacy off it.
South Africa, Rwanda, and Morocco have all shown interest in hosting an F1 Grand Prix in recent years, aligning with Hamilton's long-standing campaign to see the sport finally establish a permanent presence on the African continent.
