Editing Lewis Hamilton (section)

====Racist treatment====
[[File:Hamilton_Abuse_Jerez.jpg|thumb|Hamilton was racially abused by fans during 2010 pre-season testing at Jerez.|left]]
The first and as of 2025 the only black driver to race in Formula One, Hamilton has been subject to racist abuse throughout his career. In 2007, Hamilton suffered racist abuse from Spanish Formula One supporters at the [[2007 Chinese Grand Prix|Chinese Grand Prix]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Baldwin|first=Alan|date=10 February 2008|title=Hamilton also suffered abuse in China, says Mosley|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-31860420080210|access-date=16 April 2021|archive-date=16 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416215921/https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-31860420080210|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2008, Hamilton was heckled and otherwise abused during pre-season testing at the [[Circuit de Catalunya]] by several Spanish spectators who wore [[Blackface|black face paint]] and black wigs, as well as shirts bearing the words "Hamilton's {{sic|famil|ly}}".<ref name="times20080204">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3305228.ece|title=Lewis Hamilton 'saddened' by racist abuse|date=4 February 2008|access-date=27 July 2009|work=[[The Times]]|location=London|first=Sadie|last=Gray|archive-date=2 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202090658/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3305228.ece|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]] warned Spanish authorities about the repetition of such behaviour,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7225523.stm|title=Hamilton saddened by racist abuse|work=BBC Sport|access-date=4 February 2008|date=4 February 2008|archive-date=1 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301185240/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7225523.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and launched a "Race Against Racism" campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/2/7355.html |title=FIA to launch anti-racism initiative |publisher=Formula1.com |access-date=4 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708212218/http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/2/7355.html |archive-date=8 July 2008 }}</ref> Shortly before the [[2008 Brazilian Grand Prix]], a website owned by the Spanish branch of the New York-based advertising agency [[TBWA Worldwide|TBWA]] and named ''pinchalaruedadeHamilton'', which translates into English as "burst Hamilton's tyre", was featured in the British media. The site contained an image of [[Autódromo José Carlos Pace|Interlagos]] that allowed users to leave nails and porcupines on the track for Hamilton's car to run over. Among thousands of comments left since 2007, some included racial insults.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/nov/01/hamilton-racism-formula-one-spain|title=Website used to abuse Lewis Hamilton owned by global ad agency|work=The Guardian|location=London|first=Giles|last=Tremlett|date=1 November 2008|access-date=7 May 2010|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126203000/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/nov/01/hamilton-racism-formula-one-spain|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, Hamilton was subjected to online racist abuse following a controversial win at the [[2021 British Grand Prix|British Grand Prix]]. [[Mercedes-Benz in Formula One|Mercedes]], Formula One, and the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]] issued a joint statement condemning the abuse and called for those responsible to be held accountable.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 July 2021|title=Hamilton subjected to racist abuse online after British GP|url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/hamilton-subjected-racist-abuse-online-after-british-gp-reports-2021-07-19/|access-date=30 July 2021|website=Reuters|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723043317/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/hamilton-subjected-racist-abuse-online-after-british-gp-reports-2021-07-19/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hamilton's treatment by the media and critics has, at times, been criticised as being racist. In 2014, ''[[The Guardian]]'' journalist Joseph Harker highlighted double-standards in Hamilton's treatment compared to other British drivers by British newspapers, suggesting that his skin colour has played a factor in a perceived lack of acceptance among the British public.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harker |first1=Joseph |title=Lewis Hamilton's lack of popularity: is it cos he is black? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/24/lewis-hamilton-lack-popularity-black-formula-1-champion |access-date=5 August 2019 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=24 November 2014 |archive-date=5 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805215212/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/24/lewis-hamilton-lack-popularity-black-formula-1-champion |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2019, footballer [[Rio Ferdinand]] described media scrutiny of Hamilton as having "racist undertones" and contrasted Hamilton's treatment to that of fellow British driver [[Jenson Button]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ferdinand points to 'racist' element in criticism of Lewis Hamilton |url=https://jerseyeveningpost.com/sport/uk-sport/2019/07/14/ferdinand-points-to-racist-element-in-criticism-of-lewis-hamilton/ |access-date=14 July 2019 |work=jerseyeveningpost.com |publisher=Jersey Evening Post |date=14 July 2019 |archive-date=14 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714212341/https://jerseyeveningpost.com/sport/uk-sport/2019/07/14/ferdinand-points-to-racist-element-in-criticism-of-lewis-hamilton/ |url-status=live }}</ref> At the start of his Formula One career, Hamilton said that he "tried to ignore the fact [he] was the first black guy ever to race in the sport" but later stated that he had since grown to "appreciate the implications",<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Scott |title=Mercedes F1's Lewis Hamilton: Racism won't change for a long time |url=https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/142385/hamilton-racism-wont-change-for-a-long-time |access-date=14 July 2019 |work=autosport.com |publisher=Autosport |date=28 March 2019 |archive-date=29 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329041419/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/142385/hamilton-racism-wont-change-for-a-long-time |url-status=live }}</ref> and changed his approach to promote equality within the sport.<ref>{{cite news |last1=de Menezes |first1=Jack |title=Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton says racism remains 'all around the world' after England players abused |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/formula1/bahrain-grand-prix-lewis-hamilton-racism-abuse-all-around-the-world-england-players-sterling-rose-a8844171.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/formula1/bahrain-grand-prix-lewis-hamilton-racism-abuse-all-around-the-world-england-players-sterling-rose-a8844171.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=14 July 2019 |work=independent.co.uk |publisher=The Independent |date=28 March 2019}}</ref> In 2019, [[Toto Wolff]], Hamilton's team boss at Mercedes, described how Hamilton was "scarred for life" by racist abuse inflicted during his childhood.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/25/f1-lewis-hamilton-scarred-for-life-childhood-racist-abuse|title='Lewis Hamilton scarred for life by childhood racist abuse,' says Wolff|last=Media|first=PA|date=25 October 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=7 November 2019|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=7 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107234932/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/25/f1-lewis-hamilton-scarred-for-life-childhood-racist-abuse|url-status=live}}</ref>