Racing Pride announced on Friday that it has added Mercedes to its growing list of Formula 1 partnerships.
Dedicated to promoting and encouraging inclusivity for LGBTQ+ people within the arena of motorsport, Racing Pride has already partnered with three other F1 teams to date.
Mercedes joins Aston Martin, Alpine and Red Bull as industry partners championing inclusivity in top-level motorsport.
The partnership is built on Racing Pride’s Ambassador visit to the Brackley-based team in June 2023, delivering a workshop as part of the initiatives Pride Month activities.
Going forward, the Mercedes partnership will see Racing Pride “assist and advise in the development of policy and procedures as well as deliver a number of workshops, listening sessions, and training sessions aimed at team members of all levels within the company to embed LGBTQ+ inclusion and allyship,” as per the organisation’s website.
“Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix operates one of the most successful, prestigious, and celebrated teams in the history of Formula One and its cars are driven by two drivers with an enormous platform,” said Racing Pride Co-Founder and Director of Partner Relations, Richard Morris.
“Lewis Hamilton’s well-known commitment to LGBTQ+ allyship, combined with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix’s status within the industry, means that this partnership has the potential to make a real and far-reaching impact for LGBTQ+ inclusion across motorsport and beyond.
“Racing Pride is certainly not only concerned with external visibility and awareness, though, and we are committed to ensuring through this partnership that the 1,200 team members working for MGP at Brackley genuinely feel that their working environment is one which is safe and welcoming for LGBTQ+ individuals and encourages all team members to be their true selves in a way which can only enhance the company’s ongoing success on and off track.”
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, as noted in Morris’ statement has served as an LGBTQ+ ally on the world stage on multiple occasions by way of his vocal support of inclusivity and the wearing of pride colours on his racing helmet.
The seven-time F1 World Champion wore a pride-themed helmet at last year’s Miami Grand Prix, one he debuted in Qatar in 2021 to protest the nation’s position on homosexuality.
Hamilton hasn’t been alone in his support for the LGBTQ+ community and former F1 driver and multiple World Champion Sebastian Vettel has worn pride colours also – and was reprimanded for wearing a ‘Same Love’ t-shirt during the national anthem ceremony during the 2021 Hungarian GP, in protest against the country’s legislation against the discussion of homosexuality and transgender issues in schools.
Like Vettel and its seven-time F1 title-winning driver Hamilton, Mercedes will continue to ensure Racing Pride’s message is heard on a global scale, having previously worn a Pride-themed Mercedes emblem on its cars to commemorate Pride month over the past two F1 seasons.
“We are really excited to be partnering with Racing Pride to support LGBTQ+ allyship through impactful interventions which will enable all our team to bring their whole selves to work,” said Hiran Odedra, Head of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix.
“Our LGBTQ+ network and the wider team are looking forward to hosting events with Racing Pride over the coming year that will help us further embed our culture of inclusion.”
