Lewis Hamilton’s charity, Mission 44, which was set up in 2021 with the goal of improving greater representation, diversity, and inclusion in motorsport, has joined forces with F1.
At this weekend’s British Grand Prix, students will be brought together from the Formula 1 Engineering and the Mission 44 MSc Motorsport Engineering scholarship programmes at a networking event.
Mission 44 has now become the latest charity to be “officially supported by Formula 1”. Both schemes offer students crucial financial and career support and are targeted at students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Jason Arthur, CEO of Mission 44 said: “When Lewis Hamilton launched Mission 44 three years ago, it was with the ambition to create a fairer, more inclusive future for young people around the world.
“Together with Formula 1, we will be able to increase awareness and access to motorsport career opportunities, so young people, no matter their background, can succeed. Change requires collective action, and we’re excited to grow our partnership with Formula 1 to drive diversity in motorsport forward.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Ellen Jones, Head of ESG at Formula 1, added: “Over the last few years, it has been a pleasure to support Mission 44 in its efforts to make our sport more diverse and give students and young people their first taste of the world of F1 and motorsport.
“We look forward to working with Mission 44 in this new capacity and seeing how many doors we can open together to inspire the next generation.”
Writing on the Mission 44 website earlier this year, Jamie Elfenbein, Mission 44 Chief Growth Officer, explained how the charity worked with F1 Academy and the Miami Grand Prix to help support the next generation of STEM leaders around the world.
He said: “In the past two and a half years, our initiatives have already reached 300,000 young individuals across the United Kingdom and by the end of 2024, our reach will extend to Miami, Austin, Las Vegas, and Brazil.
“However, even with the extraordinary leadership of our founder – a seven-time Formula 1 world champion – we know that transforming the landscape of motorsport and fostering diversity across STEM industries requires collective action.”