Lewis Hamilton once shared his concerns about being a black F1 driver with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff: "I think about it every day"

Toto Wolff revealed that Lewis Hamilton once reminded him about the different situations he faced solely because he was black, and he also said that he thinks about it every day.

Although Hamilton has been outspoken about the racism he has faced throughout his racing career, he is now an integral part of Mercedes and one of the most successful drivers to ever step into Formula 1.

However, as the Austrian team principal recalled, Hamilton once asked him if he thought about him being white because he would do so 'every day.' BBC Sports quoted Wolff as saying:

"He asked me once, ‘Have you ever had the active thought that you are white?’ And I replied, ‘I have never thought about it.’ He said, ‘I think about it [the fact I’m black] every day.’"

On the current Formula 1 grid, Lewis Hamilton is the only black driver and also the only driver to achieve so much throughout his career. With Mercedes, he has grabbed 6 world drivers' championships and has broken several records and stands alongside Michael Schumacher with a total of 7 championships.

Despite being an excellent driver since childhood, Lewis Hamilton has spoken many times about the difficult phases he had to go through solely because of racism.

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Wolff gave an insight on Lewis Hamilton's perspective in the sport

As mentioned above, Lewis Hamilton is the only black driver on the grid. Though he is respected by all because of his achievements and the kind of person he is, he still told Wolff that he 'thinks about being black every day.' Wolff stated:

"That was a year or two ago, and it triggered a profound reflection within me, because we as a majority white people in European countries, you never think about it."

The Austrian explained himself by stating that it would be equally difficult to walk into the paddock and find out that you are the only white person. Along with this, he said:

"Imagine you enter the paddock and you are the only white person and how difficult that would be. I guess it would make you think about your skin colour every day."

"And if you add abuse and racism to the whole equation, it becomes unbearable. This is what he and many others around the world are facing every day."

Despite the difficulties Lewis Hamilton has faced in his career, he has managed to outperform almost every driver on the current grid. Though the 2022 season was a challenging one for him and the team, he and George Russell are prepared for the upcoming season and will be hoping to bag yet another championship.