Lewis Hamilton has spoken out about concerns surrounding the controversial proposed African Grand Prix in Rwanda, after making clear his desire to compete in the race.
It was announced last week that the sport will return to Africa for the first time since 1993, with a race confirmed in Rwanda from approximately 2032 in a 10-season deal.
Hamilton has long argued that F1 should race on the continent once again, having last held a Grand Prix there in Kyalami, South Africa, more than 30 years ago.
And while the 41-year-old – who may well be 46 by the time the race rolls around – has vowed to carry on racing to complete a long-desired ambition to compete on the continent, the seven-time world champion also voiced his worries regarding Rwanda’s human rights record.
Hamilton used his platform to call for Africa to unite amid the proxy war inside Rwanda’s neighbouring country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
‘I don’t get to choose where we go and naturally there’s problems all over the world today,’ Hamilton said. ‘I’ve seen many of the stories, but I think we really have to approach it with humility.
Lewis Hamilton has voiced his worries regarding Rwanda’s human rights record amid the proposed African Grand Prix
‘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 the 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’s 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.’
The United Nations and Western governments accuse Rwanda of backing the armed rebel group M23 with weapons and troops to fight a proxy war inside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rwanda deny supporting the insurgency.
Millions of civilians in eastern DRC have been displaced or killed as the conflict spirals into a humanitarian crisis.
Hamilton believes that more people need to speak up on the ongoing war in the Congo, alongside the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, the latest Sudanese civil war and the conflict in Syria.
Hamilton added: ‘Of course, going doesn’t mean that you neglect the things that are happening there.
‘So hopefully many people 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.
F1 will return to Africa with Rwanda set to host at an unbuilt track (pictured an artist’s impression)
‘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.’
Rwanda is a controversial presence in British sport over its human rights record and alleged ‘sportswashing’ with the ‘Visit Rwanda’ brand drawing criticism as a sponsor of Arsenal for eight years, before ending in June. ‘Visit Rwanda’ are now Aston Villa’s main shirt sponsor.
Amnesty International UK’s head of campaigns Felix Jakes said recently: ‘Rwanda is buying into the world’s biggest sports to polish its image and deflect from its appalling human rights record.
‘Formula One says sport can be “a positive force for good”. That rings hollow if F1 shrugs off who it is partnering with. Formula One must not be a bystander. It should use its influence with the Rwandan authorities to push for change, rather than lend its brand to a PR exercise.’
