Lewis Hamilton to race for Mercedes in new all-black car and overalls as F1 team give up their famous 'Silver Arrows' trim to get behind Black Lives Matter movement after British star hit out at the lack of diversity in 'white-dominated sport' (13 Pics)

Lewis Hamilton will race in an all-black Mercedes to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement when the Formula One season finall...

Lewis Hamilton will race in an all-black Mercedes to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement when the Formula One season finally begins this week.

The reigning world champion has been outspoken about the lack of diversity in the sport and last month hit out at his fellow drivers for 'staying silent' in the wake of George Floyd's shocking death at the hands of a police officer in the US.

But in a bid to show they 'stand against racism and all forms of discrimination', Mercedes have abandoned their traditional 'Silver Arrows' trim for the 2020 season. 

+13

Mercedes's new all-black design will see them ditch their 'Silver Arrows' to support Black Lives Matter movement this season

+13

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton has been vocal about lack of diversity in F1 and last month hit out at fellow drivers

Hamilton and his team-mate, Valtteri Bottas, will instead race in an all-black base livery 'as a public pledge to improve the diversity' of Mercedes when the delayed season starts with the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Both drivers will also wear black overalls and adapt the designs of their helmets in order to reflect the campaign.

The message 'End Racism' will be displayed on the halo of both cars, while the new F1 initiative #WeRaceAsOne will feature on the mirrors. 

Hamilton, who attended a Black Lives Matter protest in London earlier this month, worked closely with Mercedes and team principal Toto Wolff on the project. 

Speaking about Mercedes' decision to design the black car, Hamilton said: 'It's so important that we seize this moment and use it to educate ourselves whether you are an individual, brand or company to make real meaningful changes when it comes to ensuring equality and inclusivity. 

+13

The British Mercedes driver, who is the reigning F1 champion, was seen at a Black Lives Matter protest in London this month

+13

Mercedes are ditching their 'Silver Arrows' trim for 2020 to help fight racism and Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas will wear black

'I have personally experienced racism in my life and seen my family and friends experience racism, and I am speaking from the heart when I appeal for change. 

'When I spoke to Toto [Wolff] about my hopes for what we could achieve as a team, I said it was so important that we stand united. 

'I would like to say a huge thank you to Toto and the Mercedes Board for taking the time to listen, to talk, and to really understand my experiences and passion, and for making this important statement that we are willing to change and improve as a business. 

'We want to build a legacy that goes beyond sport, and if we can be the leaders and can start building more diversity within our own business, it will send such a strong message and give others the confidence to begin a dialogue about how they can implement change.'

+13

Current F1 champion Hamilton has been a vocal leader in talking about the need for the sport to be more diverse

+13

Hamilton had claimed that he 'stands alone' as a black F1 driver in a white dominated sport in a series of posts on social media

Hamilton became embroiled in a race row with former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone last week after the billionaire controversially claimed 'a lot of black people are more racist than white people'.

The Brit responded: 'So sad and disappointing to read these comments. Bernie is out of the sport and of a different generation. 

'But this is exactly what is wrong — ignorant and uneducated comments which show how far we as a society need to go before real equality can happen.

'It makes complete sense to me now that nothing was said or done to make our sport more diverse or to address the racial abuse I received throughout my career. Now the time for change has come.'

In an interview with Sportsmail over the weekend, Ecclestone, 89, insisted that he does not care if someone is 'yellow, green, brown or pink' after being cold-shouldered by his successor as F1 boss, Chase Carey. 

'I am not anti black people,' he said. 'Quite the opposite. I have always been very much in favour. In fact, Lewis's [Hamilton] dad wanted to go into business with me. He made some nice rowing machines. I would never even have considered it if I had been anti-black. If the project had been right, I would have done it. 

'Over the years, I have met a lot of white people I didn't like, but never a black person I didn't like.

'I've been mugged a couple of times, once by three black guys. I ended up in hospital, but even after that I was never against anyone who was black. I don't think of Lewis as black or anything else. He's just Lewis to me.

'If a black person or a white person gets turned down for a job you have to ask why. Was it because of their skin colour, or was it because they weren't up to the job? That is what I was saying.

'And then people go on these marches, organised by quasi-Marxists who want to bring down the police, which would be a disaster for the country. If you asked most of them what exactly they were protesting about they probably wouldn't know.

'It's not my fault I am white, or that I am a little shorter than the next man. I was called Titch at school. I realised I had to do something about it. Black people should look after themselves.

'[Former McLaren boss] Ron Dennis didn't stand in Lewis' way when he was a boy. He looked after him. Willy T [Ribbs] was the first black man to drive an F1 car, for me, in the Seventies.

'When I lost my driving licence, I had a black driver, not because he was black, but because I didn't care whether he was black or white. Now it's suddenly fashionable to talk about diversity.'

+13

Hamilton hit back at Bernie Ecclestone (left) after the 89-year-old said 'a lot of black people are more racist than white people'

+13

 Ecclestone told Sportsmail he does not care if someone is 'yellow, green, brown or pink' after being heavily criticised

Meanwhile, Mercedes say they plan to announce a diversity and inclusion programme before the end of the season that will involve 'continuing to listen to and raise the awareness of our team members; forensic analysis of our recruitment and development processes; collaboration with the sport's key stakeholders to improve accessibility to our sport; and targeted education initiatives to encourage and support talented people from under-represented backgrounds who aspire to reach F1.' 

The move comes after Hamilton blasted the lack of diversity in F1 and accused his other drivers of ignoring Floyd's death, the incident which sparked huge Black Lives Matter protests around the world for over a month.

In a number of Instagram post on May 31, Hamilton wrote: 'I see those of you staying silent, some of you the biggest stars yet you stay in the midst of injustice.

'Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport. I'm one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone. 

'I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can't stand alongside us. 

'Just know I know who you are and I see you.'

+13

Hamilton criticised the lack of racial diversity in his own sport in a lengthy Instagram post and even hit out at his fellow drivers

+13

Hamilton also called for several world leaders to educate their countries on racial principles and said 'we are all the same'

Hamilton added: 'I do not stand with those looting and burning buildings but with those who are protesting peacefully.

'There can be no peace until our so called leaders make change. This is not just America, this is the UK, this is Spain, this is Italy and all over.

'The way minorities are treated has to change, how you educate those in your country of inequality, racism, classism and that we are all born the same! 

'We are not born with racism and hate in our hearts, it is taught by those we look up to.' 

Last week, Formula One expanded on its new 'We Race As One' initiative by announcing it will plough $1million (£800,000) into helping those from under-represented groups gain a career in the sport.

In partnership with the FIA, F1 will look to help under-represented drivers from karting level and above to try and realise their dreams of becoming a grand prix driver by eliminating systemic barriers they may come across.

To help promote the cause, teams will display the initiative's rainbow logo on their cars at the opening round of the 2020 season at the Red Bull Ring.

A task force will be set up over the next few months including representatives from drivers and teams as well as diversity experts outside of the sport. 

+13

Hamilton will begin the defence of his world championship in Austria later this week as F1 prepares to get back on the track

As well as helping potential future drivers, the scheme will also aim to help those from under-represented groups gain access to possible careers in F1, with focus on education and employment opportunities.

Working alongside the taskforce will be an initiative to primarily, but not exclusively, help fund the under-represented groups with internships and apprenticeships within the sport.  

The initial $1million input was financed by F1 boss Carey, and it is hoped support and funding for interns and scholarship opportunities will increase in the future. 

Carey admitted the sport was not diverse enough and wanted to do more to help those from all backgrounds.

'We fully recognise that Formula One needs to be more inclusive and diverse,' Carey said.

'While we set out our strategy last year to improve the position of our sport, we need, and want, to do more.

'That is why we will establish a Task Force to listen and ensure the right initiatives are identified to increase diversity in Formula One. We want to ensure we give people from all backgrounds the best chances to work in Formula One regardless of their gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or physical abilities.

'We are therefore also taking the initial step of creating a foundation to support key educational and employment opportunities across Formula 1 that will give under-represented talent the chance to work in this incredible sport and build an exciting career.'

+13

Teams will display the '#WeRaceAsOne' rainbow on their cars at the opening race of the season at the Austrian Grand Prix

+13

F1 chief Chase Carey, pictured at the Australian Grand Prix, has ploughed $1million into funding the task force and foundation

A CHEQUERED PAST

While Mercedes have shown their support for the Black Lives Matter movement with their 2020 livery, the company - as well as some other brands associated with Lewis Hamilton - have a very chequered past... 

Daimler, which owns Mercedes, admitted as far back as 1986 that it had employed 40,000 slaves from the Nazis and forced them to work under appalling conditions during the Second World War, enabling them to reap massive profits. 

On Daimler's website even today, they detail their links to the Nazis, explaining that 'civilian forced labourers, prisoners of war or concentration camp detainees were loaned out to companies in exchange for money' and in 1944 almost half of their employees were from this scheme.

Hamilton, meanwhile, also has a sponsorship deal with Hugo Boss, who himself was a member of the Nazi party and supplied uniforms to the SA, SS and Hitler Youth.

Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before Hitler came to power, and was a loyal supporter until his death in 1948.

Through the war, Hugo Boss' factory also used 140 Polish and 40 French forced workers, and have since apologised for their maltreatment.

Tommy Hilfiger are another of Hamilton's biggest sponsors, and the driver also has an entire range with the American clothing brand.

In 2019, their parent company PVH - who also own Calvin Klein - were at the centre of a report by US-based Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) that lifted the lid on the treatment of their staff in an Ethiopian sweatshop.

It was reported that workers faced verbal abuse and discrimination, all while earning as little as 12 cents per hour.

The report claimed workers in PVH supplier factories were also forced to work unpaid overtime and were docked pay for drinking water at their work stations.

PVH later said it would investigate the reports.