‘Amazing’ Lewis Hamilton incredibly important to F1 according to Naomi Schiff

Formula 1 presenter Naomi Schiff has spoken of the importance of Lewis Hamilton to F1.

Schiff believes that it's very important for men in the industry to do what they can to promote their female counterparts. In this regard, she named Hamilton as an ally.

When Schiff received abuse online last year, Hamilton was quick to come to her defence. He took to social media and stated:

"Naomi is an ex-professional racing driver and totally qualified to give her opinion as part of the Sky team. She’s been a great asset since joining, and we should welcome more representative broadcasting with open arms. Still have a long way to go to change these attitudes in sport."

Hamilton has always battled for equality in the sport, both racially and in terms of gender. He has regularly promoted the W Series and has called for more women to be involved, either as drivers or engineers.

Speaking about the seven-time F1 champion in an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Schiff said:

"It’s super important for all of us to have male allies at the top of the sport. I feel very, very lucky to have Lewis Hamilton as an ally while going through my journey in this industry."

She added:

"It’s incredibly valuable. I obviously really look up to him and I think he’s not just an incredible athlete but an incredible human and I think he has a lot to offer in terms of advice and support. He’s amazing."

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Lewis Hamilton confirms his Mercedes future doesn't depend on team's performance in 2023

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that his contract renewal with Mercedes doesn't depend on how the team performs in the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Hamilton is currently in the final year of his contract, with the team struggling to get the best performance from the car for the second consecutive season. This has led to speculation that Hamilton might part ways with the Silver Arrows if the team fails to fix the issues with the car.

The Briton, however, has confirmed that he'll be with Mercedes beyond this year irrespective of what happens on the track.

Hamilton told the official F1 website:

“It’s ultimately people creating rumours without facts. It’s never helpful. I have been [supported by] Mercedes since I was 13. Having the difficult year we had last year, [I’m] still here, and whether or not we have a difficult year this year, I’ll still be here.”