Lewis Hamilton has stepped up his protests against racism by wearing a T-shirt highlighting police brutality in the US at the Tuscan Grand Prix.
Hamilton’s shirt said: “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor,” a black woman shot eight times in her own home.
“I’ve been wanting to bring awareness to the fact there are people being killed on the street,” Hamilton said.
“And someone was killed in her own house and they were in the wrong house and those guys are still walking free.”
Taylor was one of a number of victims of incidents involving police violence whose names have become rallying cries for equality and justice.
Hamilton’s T-shirt also bore the slogan: “Say her name”.
The six-time world champion’s protest follows a similar one by tennis star Naomi Osaka, who wore a face mask bearing Taylor’s name at the US Open.
Hamilton said: “We can’t rest. We have to continue to raise awareness with it. And Naomi’s being doing amazing, so huge congratulations to her. She is an incredible inspiration with what she has done with her platform.
“We just have to continue to push on the issue.”
Hamilton wore the T-shirt at the pre-race anti-racism demonstration, during his post-race television interview and on the podium.
Hamilton won the race to take the 90th victory of his F1 career and is now just one win away from Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91, which the Briton looks certain to break this year.
The win also moved Hamilton another step closer to his seventh world title, which would equal another all-time record of the German’s. Hamilton leads team-mate Valtteri Bottas by 55 points with eight races remaining.
Hamilton said: “It just doesn’t seem real. It is a privilege ultimately to be in a position and have such a great team and a car to be able to deliver weekend-in, weekend-out. I am forever grateful to the people who continue to work hard. I am just a link in the chain.
“But getting these wins is not easy when you have a great driver like Valtteri pushing you to the limit, but I never thought I would be here, that’s for sure.”