Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team has been by Mission 44’s side from the very start. In 2020, when Lewis spoke out about the lack of diversity in his team and sport, backed by the findings of The Hamilton Commission, the company listened. It formed a joint fund with Lewis called Ignite, which was dedicated to improving diversity within STEM and motorsport. Ignite went on to become part of Mission 44 as our vision for the charity took shape and, over the last few years, the unwavering support of Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team has enabled us to establish partnerships and initiatives that have created meaningful change.

Here are some highlights of what we’ve achieved together so far:

• Our MSc Motorsport Scholarship programme not only provides life-changing opportunities to engineering students from Black and mixed Black backgrounds, it serves as an inspirational story for young people from similar backgrounds. So far, 100% of full-time Motorsport Scholars have secured graduate jobs in the motorsport industry – with the second cohort of eight Scholars launched last month.
• Our Grand Prix STEM inspiration events have given young people from underrepresented backgrounds behind-the-scenes F1 experiences, including garage and paddock tours, and insightful conversations with Mercedes engineers. These experiences have opened doors for young people into the industry, giving them the knowledge, networks and confidence they needed to pursue their dreams.
• With Mission 44 and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team funding, Motorsport UK’s Girls on Track community has grown to over 10,000 members – and the Race for Diversity programme launched in October 2024  – inspiring thousands more young people from diverse backgrounds towards careers in motorsport.
• The Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers UK’s ‘Making Engineering Hot’ initiative delivered a 10-week motorsport-focused programme to young people in Scotland.
• Bradford College was able to raise awareness of motorsport careers, encourage employers to increase apprenticeships for local students and provide financial support to female and ethnic minority students from low-income backgrounds.

At this memorable juncture in Lewis’s F1 career, Mission 44 would like to extend our appreciation to Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team for its continued support. The drive for diversity and inclusion is gaining traction – highlighted by the recent launch of F1’s Diversity and Inclusion Charter – but we’re just getting started. We will continue to work with the team whenever possible in our shared mission to create a more diverse motorsport industry.