I won't retire until I race in Africa - Lewis Hamilton

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he does not want to walk away from the sport until he has competed in a Grand Prix on African soil.

Speaking in an interview shared by BBC Sport, Hamilton made it clear that racing in Africa remains one of his biggest personal ambitions before retirement.

“I don't want to leave the sport without having a grand prix there [in Africa]. They're setting certain dates. I'm like, damn, I could be running out of time, so I'm going to be here for a while until that happens,” he revealed.

Africa has been absent from the Formula One calendar for decades, with the last race on the continent taking place in South Africa in 1993.

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Since then, there have been repeated discussions about bringing the sport back, but no race has yet been confirmed.

For Hamilton, the issue goes beyond motorsport. The British driver has often spoken passionately about Africa and its place in the global conversation, and he believes the continent deserves far greater recognition.

“It is the most beautiful part of the world, and I don't like that the rest of the world owns so much of it and takes so much from it and no-one speaks about it,” he said.

Hamilton also expressed hope that African nations can come together to make the dream of a Grand Prix on the continent a reality.

“I'm hoping that the people that are running those different countries all unite and come together and take Africa back,” he added.

FKA/JE

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