On the cusp of his seventh title, Lewis Hamilton says he is more proud of his activism for diversity and equality.

"Winning a world championship is very much a personal thing, and that doesn't necessarily impact people's lives," he told reporters at the start of a weekend which could see him secure his seventh title, thus equalling Michael Schumacher.

"Something I'm much prouder of is trying to improve conditions for people around the world," he continued, "that's the most important thing for me.

"I remember watching Michael get seven and thinking, 'wow!'" added Hamilton, who recently became the winningest driver in the sport's history. "But when you're in it, it's different. What's important with the journey this year is it's been combined with the fight for equality and a real growing process of learning what's happening around the world and being a little bit more aware of surroundings and starting to see progress with that."

"We're going to continue to fight for more championships, continue to try to improve and continue to race and do what we love doing.

Asked about that seventh title, he replied: "Matching an icon like Michael; I'd be incredibly proud of that. But it's more the message it sends to not just kids - but mostly kids - that you have to dream bigger than you think you can dream and don't let anyone tell you that you can't go for that."

However, the Briton prefers not to focus on such records, insisting that hew is "just focused on trying to do a good job, just taking it one race at a time, trying to do the best we can as a team, not thinking about anything else.

"I have learned not to add pressure that's unnecessary," he continued. "I have four races to battle for those points so I don't put it all onto one weekend, one day. For me it is another race, I need to approach it exactly as I have in the past.

"Maybe then that's why sometimes it's a shock," he added. "All of a sudden it hits you because you have not thought about it much and you don't know what to say, because you never truly know whether it is going to happen.

"I am not focused on the 'what if?' I am focused on preparing myself the same as before to try to deliver the way I have all season. The numbers and the figures and the titles and all that stuff perhaps appears to mean more from the outside.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Bill Hopgood, 13/11/2020 17:50

"Without the titles and all the deserved success and fame that Hamilton has earned and built up, the activism would not have as big an impact than what he thinks it does today.
Despite the driver's titles, and all that is made of the individual driver's success, F1 is a team sport and the money comes in for the overall constructors points, this being a prototype series.
I'm not sure how the hard working folks at the factories and at the track feel about being put back behind social justice, anti capitalist causes especially considering the hard work they put in for the "stars" and the industry they are in.
All the best to Hamilton on his quest to make the planet and people's lot better using his profile to do so, however, without what built that profile the quest would not be as effective as he thinks it is."

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2. Posted by Mad Matt, 13/11/2020 17:35

"Sorry to say that I see zero impact from anything he's done in terms of 'activism'... The reality is that you need money to get into racing and that's the biggest hurdle for most people. I know he talks about growing up on a council estate but my parents couldn't afford for me to get into racing and despite having a good income I can't afford to do it for my kids either. I can only imagine that his Dad found a lot of money somewhere....

On the other hand I'm seriously impressed by his brother and his quiet perseverance in BTCC has encouraged others with disabilities to see that perhaps they can do more than they thought (even if it's not car racing)."

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3. Posted by The stogie, 13/11/2020 17:34

"Lewis had better understand that HIS fans do NOT give a rats ass about his 'activism'. "

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4. Posted by USA1, 13/11/2020 16:46

"I been watching Formula 1 for racing and not his activist crap I have zero interest in that and if I did I probably would look at a news channel for it and not in F1."

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5. Posted by Superbird70, 13/11/2020 13:04

"@Wokingchap- I disagree. He hasn't received a knighthood for his racing, and his activism seems to garner more vigorous discussion on this site than his racing. He has an opportunity to be remembered as an agent of change."

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6. Posted by Wokingchap, 13/11/2020 11:27

"I tend to think he will be remembered for his spectacular F1 success and not for his activism"

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Hamilton prouder of activism than titles

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