Lewis Hamilton has responded to human rights concerns around Formula 1’s planned African Grand Prix in Rwanda by saying critics and the sport alike should “approach it with humility” — while making clear that going there doesn’t mean ignoring what’s happening around it.
Image credit: Lewis Hamilton (Credits: BBC)
Why the Rwanda African Grand Prix Is Controversial
F1 has signed a 10-year deal with the central-east African country, with the first race on a new track near Kigali expected in the early 2030s. But Rwanda’s neighbour, the Democratic Republic of Congo, has filed a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Rwanda of breaching treaties covering genocide prevention, racial discrimination, women’s rights and torture.
DRC foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner said giving President Paul Kagame the race “would help polish the image of an authoritarian leader whose government has helped fuel a devastating war in our country,” and urged F1 to demand guarantees that no race money comes from conflict-linked minerals. The US has sanctioned Rwanda’s army and four senior officers over their role in the region.
Hamilton: Africa Deserves a Grand Prix
Hamilton, who has campaigned for an African race for years, said: “I don’t get to choose where we go. Naturally, there are problems all over the world today… 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 taught us anything about Africa.”
“Africa is a place that deserves to have a grand prix. It’s about more than just one country. It’s about the continent itself,” he added, before closing: “Going there doesn’t mean that you neglect the things that are happening there… I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine.”
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
