"That’s a white man’s game”: Red Bull's Calum Nicholas reminisces detractors comments when he first said he'd be in F1 

Red Bull senior mechanic Calum Nicholas recalled a pivotal moment when a Black friend warned him that Formula 1 might not be a welcoming space for him. Speaking to The Guardian, the senior power unit assembly technician reflected on the sport’s historically white-dominated environment and the challenges he faced in breaking into motorsport.

A familiar presence in the Red Bull garage, Nicholas is often seen working on Max Verstappen’s car on the grid. His visibility in the paddock, combined with his Caribbean-British heritage, has made him one of the most recognizable figures in the team. With a British white mother and a Black Caribbean father, his background mirrors that of Lewis Hamilton, whose impact on diversity in the sport has been significant.

Nicholas has also gained popularity beyond the paddock, regularly appearing on Drive to Survive and various podcasts, while amassing a strong following of over 340,000 on Instagram. Recently, he has been promoting his book, Life in the Pitlane, where he candidly shares his journey and experiences in the sport.

Reflecting on the earlier days of his career, he recalled conversations with cousins and Black friends about how, for years, Lewis Hamilton and his father were the only Black figures in the paddock. He acknowledged that while progress has been made, there is still work to be done to make F1 more inclusive. The multiple world champion invited Nicholas to contribute his perspective to the Hamilton Commission, an initiative dedicated to improving Black representation in motorsport.

Nicholas reflected on the moment when he told his black friend about desiring to work in F1, who replied:

“Cal, that’s a white man’s game. They ain’t gonna let you in!”

Reflecting upon the period when he would speak to his friends or cousins, Nicholas said:

“When I used to tell my cousins and black friends, Lewis Hamilton and his dad were the only black people we’d see in an F1 paddock. It seemed an industry that either wasn’t interested in them or that wouldn’t allow them to be a part of it. I always reacted like super‑unleaded fuel. ‘You will fuel me to go and prove you wrong.’ It’s something I’ve set out to change.”

Commenting on his social media fame on Instagram, he said:

“I’ve put myself in this position now of trying to inspire people from all kinds of backgrounds to look at F1. You can’t decide you don’t fancy it any more. I accept the path I’ve chosen and I feel a great responsibility – not just to inspire people but to try and leave the sport better than I found it.”

The Red Bull technician further shed light on his experiences of racial discrimination.

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Red Bull senior mechanic recollects racial abuse on the internet in 2021 and 2022

Calum Nicholas with the Red Bull team during practice ahead of the Belgium Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Red Bull senior power unit assembly technician Calum Nicholas opened up about the racial abuse he endured online during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Reflecting on the experience, he recalled how anonymous accounts would hurl insults at him, with some dismissing him as a mere “token diversity hire” within the team.

Despite the negativity online, Nicholas noted that he has never faced abuse from fans at a race weekend. However, dealing with relentless criticism from faceless trolls required resilience. Over time, he learned to grow a thick skin, refusing to let the hate overshadow his achievements in the sport.

As one of the most visible figures in the Red Bull garage, Nicholas has remained a strong advocate for diversity in F1, using his platform to shed light on the challenges of being a minority in a historically white-dominated sport.

Speaking about the online abuse he received for his ethnicity, Nicholas said:

“There was plenty of it, particularly in 2021, 2022. It’s usually anonymous social media accounts so I say to myself: ‘In 13 years, I’ve never had a fan at a race track confront or abuse me in this way.’ Unfortunately, it’s the world we’re living in with people sat behind anonymous screens on a computer. That’s easier than when people say you’re a token diversity hire. Knowing the work you’ve done to get to where you are, and trying not to engage with that sort of nonsense is very difficult. Outright abuse? Man, I’m so thick-skinned.”

Calum Nicholas’ recent book, Life in the Pitlane, was a passion project he pursued with full consent from his team. However, as he began making appearances on various platforms and podcasts to promote it, he received a friendly yet pointed reminder from Red Bull’s communications team. The message? A subtle nudge about the role the team had played in his rising popularity.

Rather than taking it personally, Nicholas saw it as an opportunity to reflect on his journey. In response, he shared the situation with a white colleague, delivering a fitting reply that highlighted the balance between personal success and the platform provided by Red Bull. While he acknowledged the exposure the team had given him, he also knew that his hard work, resilience, and unique perspective were what truly set him apart.

Recollecting an incident with his white Red Bull communications team colleague, he said:

“If we’re being really honest here, I have my platform because both yourselves and Netflix decided to leverage my ethnicity to make the team appear to the public as more ethnically diverse. If the company wants to try and take all the credit for my social media following, are you also prepared to take responsibility for the daily racial abuse I receive? You can’t have it both ways, so which is it?”

Since the launch of Life in the Pitlane, Calum Nicholas has been a prominent voice in motorsport media, sharing his journey across various podcasts and interviews with leading British publications. His story resonates beyond the confines of the paddock, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs of being a minority in a traditionally white-dominated sport.

Alongside Lewis Hamilton, Nicholas continues to advocate for greater diversity and ethnic representation in Formula 1. His visibility in the Red Bull garage, paired with his outspoken stance on inclusivity, has made him one of the key figures driving change within the sport.