Hamilton and F1 drivers wear ‘End Racism’ T-shirts, six decide to not kneel

Valtteri Bottas kneeled holding the winners’ trophy at Formula One’s season-opening Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, where the podium trio held up a black T-shirt with “End Racism” written on it. (Source: AP)

That message was said before the race, too, when all drivers wore that T-shirt. World champion Lewis Hamilton, the only black driver in F1, had Black Lives Matter on the front and End Racism on the back of his. (Source: Reuters)

But six did not join Hamilton and 13 others in taking the knee: Kimi Raikkonen, Max Verstappen, Daniil Kvyat, Antonio Giovinazzi, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc — who finished in second place. (Source: AP)

Hamilton called out other F1 teams on Thursday for not doing enough to combat racism and said the sport still needs to push for more diversity. Mercedes is competing in an all-black car instead of the usual silver, while Hamilton and Bottas have “End Racism” written on the car’s halo. (Source: AP)

Hamilton has spoken widely about racism in recent weeks following the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd — a handcuffed and unarmed Black man — after a police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes in May. Hamilton attended a Black Lives Matter march in London and is setting up a commission to increase diversity in motorsport. (Source: Reuteers)

Hamilton praised some drivers for speaking out against racism, but he still feels others need to do more and he raised that in their briefing. (Source: Reuters)

Motorsport’s governing body FIA is donating one million euros ($1.12 million) to improve diversity in motorsport. (Source: Reuters)