Mercedes GP: Silver Arrows go black
CONFESSION AGAINST RACISM The world champion team is taking a stand against racism and discrimination. For this reason, the Mercedes racing cars will no longer appear as silver arrows, but all in black. When Formula 1 returns to the race track in Austria next weekend, it will be competing in a world that has changed since the teams last met at the beginning of [...]
When Formula 1 returns to the race track in Austria next weekend, it will be competing in a world that has changed fundamentally since the teams last met in Melbourne at the beginning of March.
Over the past five weeks, the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted the need for new measures and proactive action in the fight against racism and discrimination in all its forms.
Lack of diversity
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 has used the time to listen to the perspectives of its team members, learn and reflect on the team as it is today, but also how we want to shape it for the future. Three percent of the workforce identify as members of ethnic minorities and only twelve percent of employees are women.
This lack of diversity shows that new approaches need to be developed in order to appeal to the talents that are currently not being reached. Mercedes GP wants to meet this challenge with positive measures.
All in black
For this reason, the two Mercedes W11 cars of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas will compete in the 2020 season with an all-black livery. This is a public commitment to improve the team's diversity and a clear statement against racism and any form of discrimination.
A diversity and integrity program will also be announced by the end of the season, which will include various aspects. Both riders are at the center of this fight against racism and discrimination. They will compete in black racing overalls and also adapt their helmet design.
Hamilton sets a good example
World champion Lewis Hamilton recently founded the Hamilton Commission, a research partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering. Its aim is to find out how racing can be used to get more young black people interested in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) so that they can later be employed in teams or other engineering fields.
Using a global platform
The Team Principal and Managing Director of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team promises not to ignore his own weaknesses in this area or shy away from the progress that still needs to be made.
Toto Wolff: "Our livery is our public promise to take positive action. Racism and discrimination have no place in our society, our sport and our team. But the right beliefs and the right mindset are not enough if we remain silent. We therefore want to use our voice and our global platform to stand up for respect and equality."
