"My voice wasn't heard": Lewis Hamilton meets Keir Starmer to drive education reform

Lewis Hamilton has met with the UK Prime Minister to discuss education reform, as the seven-time Formula 1 world champion furthers his commitment to his Mission 44 project.

Hamilton, who last weekend finished sixth in the Spanish Grand Prix, joined a roundtable with Sir Keir Starmer and Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson at 10 Downing Street to discuss how the UK government will work to support schools and pupils.

It comes after Hamilton launched his own initiative in 2021 to develop a more inclusive future for young people around the world after admitting his own struggles during education.

Hamilton launched the charity to help drive change and give access to children to pursue careers in STEM subjects at school and discussed a new framework for schools to increase pupil engagement so more young people are supported to achieve.

Hamilton said: “I struggled in school and never felt like my voice was heard, that’s why I know first-hand that ensuring every student feels they belong in school is vital.

Lewis Hamilton visits UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer with Mission 44

Photo by: Mission 44

“I’m grateful that off the back of this meeting, the government has committed to working with Mission 44 to enact change focused on making the education system more inclusive. I’m so proud of how far Mission 44 has come in such a short space of time and the opportunity we have to transform the lives of vulnerable students across the country.”

In 2024, Hamilton said he has struggled with mental health issues for most of his life as a consequence of being bullied at school and the pressure of racing.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, he said: “When I was in my 20s, I had some really difficult phases. I’ve struggled with mental health throughout my life. [I’ve had] depression. From a very early age, when I was, like, 13. I think it was the pressure of the racing and struggling at school. The bullying. I had no one to talk to.”

During the F1 Miami GP, it was announced that Hamilton’s Mission 44 was partnering with Ferrari title sponsors HP to provide young people in the UK and Miami with access to technology, training, digital skills, and mentorship, including a multi-year partnership to support two Miami-based organisations, which create career pathways and provide workforce development.