Breaking down the Formula 1 Diversity and Inclusion Charter

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The Formula 1 Diversity and Inclusion charter was released last week and while it is a welcome first step towards making this sport better for marginalised groups, there has been criticism from many sides. 

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Why was the Diversity and Inclusion charter created?

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The charter is a formal agreement which all 10 teams and the FIA have signed, was created in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering and will be implemented in partnership with Mission 44. The charter has been a long time coming with The Hamilton Commission report released in 2021. This report revealed the stark reality of Formula 1’s diversity issue:

Only 1% of employees in F1 are black and that 83% of Black and Minority Ethnic people have experienced racism within the sport.

It also highlighted the lack of diversity in leadership roles, including a gender imbalance and provided three recommendations: 

1. Support and empower marginalised groups
2. Accountability and measurement from organisations
3. Inspiration and engagement of young people

Lewis Hamilton's charity, Mission 44 was born following this commission (in 2021) - working within education, motorsport and social justice to work towards these recommendations.

Author's Note: I would recommend that everyone read the Hamilton Commission report as it provides vital background that will allow us to hold Formula 1 accountable moving forward. 

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What does the Diversity and Inclusion Charter entail?

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The Formula 1 charter is split into four pillars, which specifically aim to increase diversity in the F1 workforce by attracting and retaining talent, creating a culture where all perspectives and welcomed and engaging with external stakeholders. 

Diversity initiatives have been in place in motorsport for years, such as the FIA Girls on Track programme since 2026 (previously Dare to be Different), Motorsport UK’s Race for Diversity, groups like Racing Pride and Driven By Us, and STEM programmes through the Association of Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers. F1 teams also have initiatives, like the Mercedes Accelerate 25 programme, McLaren 60 Scholars and the Alpine Rac(H)er programme, but this represents a joint effort to bring the sport forward together. 

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Reactions to the Diversity and Inclusion Charter

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As somebody who works in this space, one of my biggest frustrations has been team competitiveness- bringing their racetrack attitude to their EDI initiatives. This has often favoured programmes which look good, rather than do good. Cooperation is what is ultimately needed for progress and the charter is a welcomed start towards real change.

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Public Sentiment

The public reaction to the release of the charter has been mixed. Many members of marginalised communities have read comments from other fans suggesting diversity isn’t important and that there is no space for it in the sport. There will always be people who either believe this or are trolling, but what is striking is that this is the first time F1 has admitted they have a diversity problem and are committed to improving it. It doesn’t matter what the fans think ultimately, but it does highlight that F1 should consider how to best pull fans along on this journey. 

The report from F1 did not mention why this charter has been created. Apart from an opportunity to have our sport genuinely reflect society, we know that diverse companies make about ⅓ more profit and are more innovative than less diverse companies. This means the most diverse teams are likely to win the most races. It’s common sense if all the information is given and I hope F1 has a marketing plan to educate their audience on why this work is important. 

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The Charter's Shortcomings

Another important fan reaction has been to highlight the lack of inclusion of disabilities specifically in the charter. This is an often forgotten marginalised group which absolutely must be included in every EDI initiative. People with disabilities have unique perspectives and talents to offer the sport as much as different genders, races and sexualities and although the charter does not include a final list of who will be included, people with disabilities face unique challenges. It’s a concern that they have been excluded and we can only hope they’re included in the next draft. A great place to get educated about accessibility in motorsport is Accessible Racing Life on socials. 

Finally, there have been conversations surrounding the lack of measurability in the charter, with no specific numbers mentioned. Hopefully, in the coming months, f1 will come out with metrics that teams must reach, the timeframe in which they must meet them and the consequences if they don't. Without numbers, this is simply a marketing exercise which won’t create change.   

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Steps forward after the Charter's release

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While this charter has frustrated many people, it’s important to remember where F1 was just a few years ago. Change tends to be slow because of resistance from people at the top, and this charter suggests an admission on the issue and commitment from those people to make a change. It will be interesting to see how F1 manages to be effective while maintaining its ‘no politics’ rule, as the existence of many marginalised groups is inherently political. We should also look out for how they will work with countries such as Qatar and Azerbaijan, which have discriminatory laws, and the US with increasing human rights issues towards women and the LGBTQ+ community.

This charter is a good start in the journey to making F1 more diverse and goes some way to making those of us who are part of marginalised groups feel supported. However, it will take more than a short document to uproot a space with such historical inequalities. Whether it is effective will come to fruition in the next few years, but we should collectively avoid patting F1 on the back for doing the bare minimum. As consumers, our opinion matters and it’s ok to be critical if something isn’t hitting expectations.

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