Black People Are More Racist Than Whites, Ex F1 CEO Says As He Talks About Lewis Hamilton

Bernie Ecclestone is credited with transforming Formula One into a global, billion-dollar business with races in all corners of the world, but like many organizations, the sport he helped create has come under scrutiny following George Floyd's death.

Notably from Lewis Hamilton, a six-time world champion and the first and only Black driver to compete in F1, who has been a powerful voice following Floyd's death in Minneapolis last month.

Hamilton has joined protests, set up The Hamilton Commission to increase diversity in motorsport and called out F1's "biggest stars" for "staying silent ... in the midst of injustice."

For his part, Ecclestone, who was replaced as chief executive of Formula One in 2017 after nearly four decades in charge, praised how Hamilton has spoken out for equality.

"Lewis is a little bit special," Ecclestone told CNN Sport's Amanda Davies.

"First, he's very, very, very talented as a driver and he seems to be now extremely talented when's he standing up and can make speeches.

"This last campaign he's doing for Black people is wonderful. He's doing a great job and it's people like that -- easily recognisable -- that people listen to."

'Completely stupid taking all these statues down'

However, Ecclestone doesn't think incentives like The Hamilton Commission will have a tangible impact on the sport.
"I don't think it's going to do anything bad or good for Formula One," he said.

"It'll just make people think which is more important. I think that's the same for everybody. People ought to think a little bit and think: 'Well, what the hell. Somebody's not the same as White people and Black people should think the same about White people.'

"In lots of cases, Black people are more racist than what White people are."

CNN challenged Ecclestone over the assertion and he was unable to provide any concrete evidence for the baseless claim beyond saying that he had "noticed" it over the years.

The 89-year-old continued by saying that changing attitudes towards race won't come "easily," scorning the dismantling of statues of slave trade figures -- a move Hamilton backed when the statue of Edward Colston was torn down in the English city of Bristol.
"I think they need to start being taught at school," said Ecclestone.

"So they grow up not having to think about these things. I think it's completely stupid taking all these statues down. They should've left them there. Take the kids from school to look and say why they're there and what the people did and how wrong it was what they did."\Later on Friday, F1 issued a statement on its website saying it "completely disagreed with Bernie Ecclestone's comments that have no place in Formula 1 or society.

"Mr Ecclestone has played no role in Formula 1 since he left our organisation in 2017, his title Chairman Emeritus, being honorific, expired in January 2020."

During his time at the helm of F1, Ecclestone brought in more races in new regions and attracted fresh interest in the sport.