Lewis Hamilton is pleased to see the African GP make a return to the F1 calendar, but he has reservations about Rwanda amid calls for ‘free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine’.
Between the races in Singapore and Austin, the FIA, together with FOM, announced the return of the African GP to the F1 calendar from the early 2030s, after signing a long-term deal with the Rwandan government under the Visit Rwanda banner.
Even though Rwanda is a regional African nation, it has taken up the ‘African GP’ name, which holds a larger commercial value. Naturally, Ferrari’s Hamilton is pleased to see the return of the Grand Prix that he had been pushing for several years.
Hamilton Recalls Countless Meetings to Push Africa Back on F1 Calendar
He revealed numerous calls made to Stefano Domenicali and even various heads of African nations. “I’ve been advocating for a race in Africa for many, many, many years,” Hamilton said in the press conference ahead of the F1 US GP. “I have had countless meetings with the stakeholders, so many meetings with Stefano at his office in London, but also race weekends.
“Countless calls. ‘What’s happening?’, ‘where are we going?’, ‘who are you meeting with?’. Many meetings with different presidents from different countries, lots of phone calls with different presidents in different countries within Africa. For me, it’s a place that deserves to have a Grand Prix.
“It’s [about] more than just one country; it is about the continent in itself, and there are so many beautiful countries within it, and the people are so lovely. The culture is so rich, and I think it’s important that we get to show that to the world, and we get to do that with our sport.
“We get to go to all these different countries, and people see some of these countries they didn’t really know too much about and all of a sudden it’s on the screen, and kids are talking about it. They go to school talking about it. So, I’m really, really hopeful for that Grand Prix,” summed up Hamilton.
Amnesty International On Rwanda Situation With Congo
But Rwanda potentially hosting an F1 Grand Prix has certainly ruffled a section, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo. Amnesty International believes that Rwanda is undertaking war crimes together with the M23 militia in Congo.
They are committing horrific human rights abuses, targeting miners in Congo for gold and cotton. The items are trafficked across the border into Rwanda, with M23 acting as the enforcer at the behest of the Rwandan government.
Hamilton is aware of the news and is hopeful that African nations can unite as one in the future. He knows he can’t neglect what is happening not just in Africa but around the globe. In fact, he made the call in the FIA press conference, which often tries to keep it apolitical, even though the call for humanity shouldn’t be mixed with politics.
Hamilton is Aware as He Makes a Rare Call Using FIA Platform
Hamilton also pushes for more knowledge about various historical happenings around the globe that are not taught in schools in England. “Of course, I don’t get to choose where we go, and naturally there are problems all over the world today,” he continued. “I’ve seen many of the stories, but I think we really have to approach it with humility.
“There’s a lot that we don’t know. Growing up in England, they never ever taught us anything about Africa. It needs to be on the curriculum: a lot of the problems they have there are still results of colonialism and the West intervening. But if you see people, you see so many designs that are out there today; top brands come from Africa, and it’s got all the richest resources.
“I really hope, and I still have hopes, that Africa unites. I know there are many people that don’t want that to happen because they would be so powerful if they did, but I’m still hopeful that at some stage they will. Of course, going doesn’t mean that you neglect the things that are happening there.
“So, hopefully many people will start to educate themselves a little bit more about what is happening there, what has happened there for hundreds of years, and I hope that does spark the conversation. I guess I’ll finish it off with: I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine. I think there’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping that at some stage we get to,” summed up Hamilton.
Hamilton Hopes to Be Racing Until 2030 to be Able to Race in Africa
While he is happy that Africa is finally making a return, he joked about having to stay fit until the 2030s and keep racing to be part of the returning F1 African GP. It is still about four seasons away, and Hamilton is already 41 years old. He will be 45 years old by the time the first race takes place.
“I mean, I’m now forced to have to stay a lot longer, because we have a race in Africa,” said Hamilton. “And that’s been my dream to be able to race in Africa. I mean, I have to keep fighting to try and stay fit if I can. If I can still punch out good results over the next year, we’ll keep it going.”