‘Long Term Commitment’ – Wolff Opens Up About Establishing A New Foundation with Lewis Hamilton
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ISTANBUL, TURKEY – Race winner Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates winning a 7th F1 World Drivers Championship with Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Turkey at Intercity Istanbul Park in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Joe Portlock – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
After winning the 2020 championship, Lewis Hamilton opened up about his vision to diversify the sport going ahead. The Briton and Mercedes’ new one year contract solidifies his vision. The pair have decided on establishing a joint foundation that is a much longer commitment, a foundation for making the sport more diverse.
Mercedes, too, have repeatedly shown their support for Hamilton’s vision over the last year. In a recent interview, Toto Wolff gave us more information on the pair’s new venture.
“We really want to take action now. We injected a few million euros in capital. Half comes from [Lewis], half from Mercedes. Lewis will sit in the foundation as well as one of us, from the team or Mercedes,” revealed Wolff.
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SOCHI, RUSSIA – SEPTEMBER 27: Valtteri Bottas of Finland driving the (77) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom on September 27, 2020 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
” For us, the foundation is a long-term commitment that we support with a substantial amount of millions. In the spirit of diversity and also a variety of opinions and also to support young people and schoolchildren from a less privileged environment,” Wolff further explained.
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Wolff reveals the idea did not come from him or Lewis Hamilton
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The primary idea of the foundation is to expand the opportunity of working in Formula 1 around the world. This requires large sums of capital and a long-term commitment, which both Hamilton and Mercedes bring to the table.
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NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 09: Second placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP looks on in parc ferme during the F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone in Northampton, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
However, Wolff reveals that the idea of the foundation originally came from Daimler’s boss, Ola Källenius. “When Lewis, Ola and I discussed, Lewis was enthusiastic about the idea.”
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The contract suggests that at the end of 2021, each party will evaluate their positions and hold new negotiations talk. However, there is a certain long-term alliance and relationship between Hamilton and Mercedes that will go well beyond 2021, and this foundation is certainly proof of that.
Maybe the foundation will give me my first opportunity to work with Formula 1!
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