zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Racing
/
Racing In Formula E Isn't Part Of Lewis Hamilton's Plans To Do Better For The Environment
Racing In Formula E Isn't Part Of Lewis Hamilton's Plans To Do Better For The Environment-January 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:07

Lewis Hamilton before the Mexican Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton, who become a Formula One champion Sunday, has been talking a lot lately about how we all can and should do better for the environment. It’s been suggested, then, that Hamilton trade his hybrid race car in , but that’s not in his plans.

But it isn’t anything against Formula E, or EV racing in general—Hamilton just doesn’t currently plan to compete outside of F1, even after he’s done there.

Due to how vocal he’s been, Hamilton was particularly by reigning Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne, who said he believes “it will be a logical step for [Hamilton] to come in Formula E.” Mercedes, where he’s won of his F1 titles, is , so it would be an easy switch if he ever wanted.

But when asked if Formula E is in the plans in a press conference before the Mexican Grand Prix on Thursday, Hamilton basically said no.

“I have no interest whatsoever to do Formula E, so that’s not something I currently plan to do beyond [F1],” he said, via of the conference.

That was the only mention Hamilton made of Formula E during the conference, thus Jalopnik reached out to his Mercedes team to clarify whether he had any specific reasoning behind not wanting to try the series, as well as whether that viewpoint applies to any other disciplines of racing outside of F1.

A spokesperson for the team told Jalopnik via email that Hamilton doesn’t think he’ll drive anything else competitively after F1, although, “as always, never say never.”

“He feels it’s the pinnacle of the sport, and hasn’t ever shown an inclination towards other series in the hypothetical future beyond his F1 career (which is far from over yet!),” the spokesperson wrote.

The questions about Hamilton’s environmental habits including Formula E, of which there were many in the press conference, originated from a social-media post where Hamilton got pretty deep about the climate crisis. Here’s an excerpt:

I’m sad right now with the thought of where this world is going. Extinction of our race becoming more and more likely as we over use our resources. The world is a messed up place. [...]

It’s taken me 32 years to understand the impact I am having on the world and I’m figuring out daily what I can do to play a better part. I want my life to mean something and honestly up until now my life’s had no meaning. [...] I’m striving to do better. I urge you, to do some research, find the compassion I know you have within you to recognize what you are contributing to in terms of what you eat which keeps the meat and dairy industry flourishing and therefore deforestation, animal cruelty, our seas and climate decaying on a daily basis. Go Vegan, it is the only way to truly save our planet today.

Hamilton’s gotten a lot of blowback about the post since his career inherently comes with a large carbon footprint, given that he competes in a gas-powered race car for show roughly 21 weekends out of the year and flies around the world to do it. But he listed off a number of ways he’s at least trying to do better in the press conference and said he’s trying to make sure he’s carbon neutral by the end of the year. Hamilton didn’t say how he’s calculating that.

“I don’t allow anyone in my office but also within my household to buy any plastics,” he said, via the transcripts. “I want everything recyclable down to deodorant, down to toothbrush, all these kind of things so I’m trying to make as much change as I can in my personal space.

“I told you I sold my plane over a year ago. I fly a lot less now, I’m trying to fly less through the year and mostly flying commercial so that’s been a big change in my habits. I’ve avoided trips as well, if I didn’t need to do it.”

Hamilton mentioned his vegan diet, and how he’s selling his vehicles or trading a lot of them in for hybrid or electric ones. (But he still has three Mercedes cars in the U.S.alone, he said, which is a lot.) Hamilton also mentioned working with the Mercedes team to reach carbon neutrality and his efforts for sustainability in his clothing line.

“I don’t know much more I can do at the moment,” he said, pivoting to F1’s . “I still love racing and I want to continue with that. We use a third less fuel now. There is more I think that Formula One can do, and I think they are putting plans together.”

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Racing
Watch a Hellcat-Stuffed Toyota Prius Smoke a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon on the Drag Strip
Watch a Hellcat-Stuffed Toyota Prius Smoke a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon on the Drag Strip
The 840-horsepower is terrifying, no matter the circumstances. It was made to be a drag-strip nightmare, and it is—as far as cars straight from the factory are concerned. The is also terrifying, when stuck behind it in traffic while in a hurry. But this is no regular Prius. Not only...
Jan 12, 2026
Danny Thompson's Challenger II Set The Piston-Driven Land Speed Record Today, 50 Years After It First Came To Bonneville
Danny Thompson's Challenger II Set The Piston-Driven Land Speed Record Today, 50 Years After It First Came To Bonneville
In 1960, racer Mickey Thompson brought the Challenger I to the Bonneville Salt Flats and set a one-time speed of 406.60 mph, making him the first American racer to break the 400 mph barrier. This weekend at the same place, his son Danny Thompson—in Challenger II, another car his father...
Jan 12, 2026
Jury Rules Former NASCAR Driver Must Pay Ex-Wife $1 for Hidden Cameras in Bedrooms, Bathroom
Jury Rules Former NASCAR Driver Must Pay Ex-Wife $1 for Hidden Cameras in Bedrooms, Bathroom
More than a year after former driver ’s ex-wife and former mother-in-law alleging that he ran secret cameras in their bedrooms and master bathroom, a North Carolina jury found him guilty of invasion of privacy on Monday. The jury ordered that Biffle pay them $1. The reports that Nicole Biffle’s...
Jan 12, 2026
Fernando Alonso Is Retiring From F1
Fernando Alonso Is Retiring From F1
Two-time champion had a big announcement hyped up for Tuesday, leaving us to wonder whether it was about or him starting an Instagram account for that doesn’t get enough internet time. At last, the announcement was that Alonso won’t race in F1 next year. You heard that right. Fernando Alonso,...
Jan 12, 2026
Formula E Isn’t Having Any of This 'Electric F1' Business
Formula E Isn’t Having Any of This 'Electric F1' Business
Perhaps in attempts to rival as “world’s quietest racing series” so everyone will , motorsport boss Ross Brawn said recently F1 could go all-electric within 10 years. But Formula E would like F1 to step off, because it apparently can’t try that until 2039. It’s not really some covert ploy...
Jan 12, 2026
How a Decade-Old Car That Wasn't Supposed to Race Did Shockingly Well in NASCAR
How a Decade-Old Car That Wasn't Supposed to Race Did Shockingly Well in NASCAR
The white, steel-bodied that finished fifth in the race at over the summer was never supposed to do well. It was never supposed to race, even. It had spent all of its known existence as a backup car for various teams that tossed it around over the years—a last resort...
Jan 12, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved