Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton believes System One ought to do extra to spotlight and handle human rights points within the international locations it visits.

His feedback had been made forward of two races in Bahrain and adopted information of a letter from U.Okay. parliamentarians to F1 CEO Chase Carey urging the game to make use of its races to “leverage Bahrain into respecting human rights”.

The letter, which was signed by 30 cross-party members of parliament, referred to as on F1 to “finish suppression of protests in opposition to the race, safe redress for victims and make sure the rights of Bahraini residents are defended”. It drew particular consideration to the detention of activist Najah Yusuf, who was imprisoned in 2017 and allegedly tortured after criticising that 12 months’s F1 race on social media.

It is the second time this month an F1 race has been labelled as an try to “sportswash” a rustic’s human rights report after Amnesty Worldwide made the identical accusation of subsequent 12 months’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which was introduced on F1’s 2021 calendar initially of the month.

Hamilton mentioned he had obtained letters from the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and would make time to be taught extra in regards to the alleged human rights abuses.

“Once I arrived right here round noon, I obtained some letters,” he mentioned on Thursday in an internet media convention. “I solely bought to see them rapidly earlier than I bought right here, however I’ve not had lots of time to digest them.

“That is one thing I have to take a while to do over the approaching days.

“The human rights points in so most of the locations we go to is a constant and large downside and I believe this 12 months has proven how vital it’s for, not solely us as a sport, however all sports activities all over the world to utilise the platform they must push for change.

“Naturally, we’re in all probability one of many solely ones that goes to so many alternative international locations and I do assume as a sport we have to do extra. Now we have taken a step in that path, however we will all the time do extra and I believe there have been some steps put in place for the locations that we’re going to.

“Nevertheless it’s vital to ensure they’re carried out in the suitable approach and it is not simply saying that we’re going to do one thing, it’s truly seeing some motion taken. “That is going to take some work from all of us within the background.”

In response to the letter from parliamentarians, an F1 spokesperson issued the next assertion.

“Now we have all the time been clear with all race promoters and Governments with which we deal worldwide that we take violence, abuse of human rights and repression very severely,” the assertion learn. “Our human rights coverage could be very clear and states that the System One firms are dedicated to respecting internationally recognised human rights in its operations globally and have made our place on human rights clear to all our companions and host international locations who decide to respect human rights in the best way their occasions are hosted and delivered.”

Bahrain will host two F1 races over the approaching weeks, with the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix set to happen this weekend and the Sakhir Grand Prix, held on a revised format of the identical circuit, set to go forward subsequent weekend.