Lewis Hamilton’s Mission 44 Foundation Tackles Motorsport Diversity
Lewis Hamilton, widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers in history, has extended his influence beyond the racetrack through his Mission 44 foundation. Established five years ago, the foundation aims to address the underrepresentation of black individuals and those from disadvantaged backgrounds within motorsport.
Reflecting on his initiative, Hamilton stated,
“Talent is everywhere, opportunity isn’t and that’s what we’re here to change. Setting up Mission 44 is one of the things I’m most proud of.”He emphasized the importance of representation in the sport, noting his two decades of experience in F1 and the challenges young people face in obtaining opportunities.
Mission 44 was born from Hamilton’s awareness of the scarcity of diversity in motorsport. Following the 2021 Hamilton Commission, which investigated the causes of this lack of representation, the foundation was created to provide support. It focuses on assisting schoolchildren who face poverty and lack role models, encouraging engagement with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and careers related to motorsport.
Hamilton invested £20 million into Mission 44, which has had an immediate impact. The foundation’s grassroots investments promote inclusive education and facilitate pathways into STEM careers. To date, 550,000 young people worldwide have been involved, with 50,000 specifically supported in STEM and motorsport fields. Over £9 million in grants have been awarded.
Beyond statistics, Mission 44 has created significant personal opportunities. In 2022, the foundation launched a scholarship program in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering. This program covers the costs for scholars of black or mixed black heritage pursuing master’s degrees in motorsport engineering. This year, scholarships provide up to £43,000 per student, along with mentoring, networking, and career development support. The program has proven transformative for its participants.
Of the 13 students in the first two cohorts, all completed their master’s degrees, and eight have secured roles in F1 or motorsport. One such scholar is Lily Owuye, a 23-year-old performance and simulation engineer at Red Bull Advanced Technologies, participating in their graduate scheme, the Red Bull Engineering Academy.
Owuye, from Warwick, attended Imperial College London and specialized in automotive engineering at the master’s level to pursue her motorsport ambitions. She credits Mission 44’s scholarship for enabling her studies.
“I can 100% say it wouldn’t have been possible from a financial perspective if I didn’t have the support of the scholarship,”Owuye said.
“Without the financial support, I wouldn’t have been able to study a master’s. It’s as simple as that.”
Another scholar, Chris Tagnon, was supported by Mission 44 to complete his master’s degree at Cambridge University. He now works as an engineering associate to the managing director of the special projects division at Aston Martin Performance Technologies, the commercial engineering arm of the Aston Martin F1 team.
Tagnon grew up in Paris with an F1 enthusiast father who took him to his first race in 2007 at Magny-Cours, the same year Hamilton debuted in the sport. Hamilton has served as a role model throughout Tagnon’s life and career.
“I often get asked about kind of representation in the sport and: ‘How did you know that you could go into it?’”Tagnon said.
“It’s never really been a question I’ve asked myself just because Lewis has always been there, my first memories was his rookie season, so my entire life Lewis has been in the sport.
“I have been used growing up and going into my career to being the only black person in the room and company and around. It’s something that you feel slightly less lonely in when you have a role model like Lewis Hamilton, who’s also the only one but that doesn’t necessarily stop him from being the best.”
Tagnon highlighted the scholarship’s impact beyond financial support.
“It’s been a gamechanger. Frankly, I wouldn’t have gotten this role if it wasn’t for the scheme,”he added.
“The access which it granted that wouldn’t have been possible without the scholarship and the exposure the scholarship gives is something that’s going to continue to follow me probably for the rest of my career.”
Both Owuye and Tagnon had the opportunity to meet Hamilton at the British Grand Prix last year, where he spoke privately with all the scholars. They regard this moment as special but emphasize that Hamilton’s greatest contribution is creating opportunities.
“Lewis’s impact has definitely been major in waking up the industry, building that awareness in the industry that those problems exist,”Tagnon said.
“Putting his name, his reputation behind those initiatives has definitely given them a lot of thrust, a lot of impulse to move forward.”
The foundation continues to evolve its mission. Owuye identified socioeconomic background as a significant barrier she faced.
“A defining factor or an obstacle in all of the things that led to this point would be socioeconomic background over anything else and being working class,”she explained.
“Formula One as an industry historically has tended to hire from, and still do, the kind of elite universities and there’s not a great deal of socioeconomic diversity at those universities. So naturally, as a result, you see that underrepresentation filter into the industry.”
While progress in gender and racial diversity has accelerated in the last decade compared to the previous 60 years, change remains slow and much work remains.
Consequently, this year the motorsport scholarship program will expand to 12 students and broaden eligibility to include women and individuals from lower-income backgrounds regardless of ethnicity, alongside those of black or mixed black heritage. Applications are open until 6 May.
Hamilton views the foundation’s success stories as just the beginning.
“It’s inspiring to see the impact it’s already having and to watch Lily and Chris begin their journeys in Formula One,”he said.
“Their ambition is a powerful reminder of why this work matters. Because the future of our sport depends on who we open the doors to today.”
As Hamilton prepares to compete with Ferrari at the Miami Grand Prix, he will also host a trackside experience day and a Q&A session with young people from Miami as part of the Mission 44 program in the United States.
“Lewis himself has always known what it has felt like to be the only one from his background, whether it be like racial or socioeconomic, so I guess he will never lose that drive to want to see the change happening, full stop,”Owuye said.
“It just comes from Lewis having the selflessness of not wanting others to have to face the same barriers.”
