Lewis Hamilton🥂 says working to help increase diversity in Formula 1 is at the “top” of 𓂃his long-term priorities. 

The s﷽ix-time world champion, who was the first black driver to compete in F1, has often raised his concerns about the lack of diversity in the cha☂mpionship and last year vowed to work alongside the FIA to help improve the situation.

Hamilton꧙ grew up on a council estate in Stevenage and has previously spoken openly about the racist abuse he suffered throughout his childhood and junior career while climbing the motorsport ladder. 

Talking about his concerns at the 2019 season finale in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton said he has been “racking my mind and having a lot of discussions” to figure out what he can do to hel🃏p but feels the sport is “not generally aligned” with his personal goals.

"I think where motors🌠port has gone, if y🐓ou look at Formula 3, it’s not the same as it used to be,” Hamilton explained. 

“Formula Renault isn’t the stepping stone that it used to be. GP3, GP2, those things are getting continuously more expensive, and don’t g🅺enerally need to be. 

“Karting is getting more and more expensive, but it doesn’t really need to be. But again, it’s be𒅌cause the business heads are not aligned with my thought process. 

“So I’m just trying to thi♎nk about what I can do, and diversity is a continuous issue, and will continue to be an issue for a long time, and there’s only 🍨a certain amount I can do,” he added. 

“I am trying to think about what it is I can a💜ctually do and work with, and how I can work with F1, rather than it just be a tick on their list of things to add to we also do - which businesses often do, and actually have something that is really implemented and actually making an impactful difference being made. 

“So I’m still trying t🍷o understand that. But it is at the top of my priorities in terms of what I w💛ant to do long-term.” 

British-born Alexander Albon, who competes under T꧙hai nationality, is just the second driver from Thailand to race in F1, and the f🐻irst since Prince Bira in 1954. 

The Red Bull driver says he has already notice🍒d a vast increase in interest in F1 in Thailand and hopes his presence on the grid will continue to boost the championship’s popularity in Asia. 

“I think it starts quite early through karting 🍌and things like that because most of it is done in Europe,” Albon said. 

“Of course it’s very expensive to send your kid to Europe to race but that’s where the competition is. One constant is that it’s quite difficult to get drivers from els🐟ewhere. 

“You even see there’s not an American driver. It🌃’s hard in tha꧑t sense to get the competition. 

“It’s happening, it’s going in that direction and even in Thailand there are some youn💞g kids coming through who look really promising. Hopefully we’ll see some more Asians. 

“I’ve been in Thailand throughout the year when I can and every t🌞ime I go there it’s just getting bigger and bigger. 

“It’s really exciting and I want there to be more people from Thailand involv𓆉ed in F1.”