Le Castellet, France - One team is stalling on Lewis Hamilton's diversity charter for Formula One, the seven-times world champion revealed on Thursday. The Mercedes driver would not name the team however.
"We are very close to getting this diversity inclusion charter going and I think it's still one team, still the same team, is not willing to engage," he told reporters at the French Grand Prix.
"We've gone back and forth to them and for some reason they don't want to, but all the other nine teams have which is really encouraging."
The charter, proposed by a commission set up by Hamilton, aims to encourage more diversity and help those from under-represented backgrounds enter the sport.
Hamilton, and other drivers such as Sebastian Vettel, have been outspoken within the sport in support of diversity as well as LGBTQ+ issues and human rights.
On Thursday Vettel said that abusive attitudes have likely been around F1 for years but new and younger fans are driving change by refusing to stay silent.
Sexist, racist and homophobic behaviour by spectators was reported at this month's Austrian Grand Prix, with the sport condemning incidents in the camp sites and grandstands.
"I think there has been a shift in fan base. I think we can all see the excitement for Formula One and I think we can see a younger audience on average coming to the track," the German told reporters ahead of the French Grand Prix.
"I think the abuse has probably always been there...but maybe you are starting to see a generation coming to the track that actually stands up and complains about it and makes a noise.
"It's great to see that people are having the courage to speak up and we are learning about these things going on. Because only by doing so we can take action.”
Hamilton reiterated that the responsibility for creating change lies with all of us.
"I don't think we should just be saying this is Formula One's problem, I think it's all of us," said Hamilton. "We can all do more.
"I think football has done some positive things in terms of the announcements that are made...we just need to continue to take a stand and I think the more we project the direction that we want to go, hopefully, slowly, people will navigate on that route."
Reuters