Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton received a letter from a prisoner in Bahrain after calling on Formula 1 to take responsibility for human rights issues in the countries it visits, with his car number 44 being adopted by inspired inmates.
F1 is set to kick off its highly anticipated new season in Bahrain, a country which has been strongly criticised for abuse by human rights groups. Hamilton, who made comments and donned a rainbow-coloured helmet last year, is outspoken on such issues and his support for some political prisoners who wrote to him from Bahrain has inspired hope.
On Monday, Bahrain prisoner Ali Alhajee wrote to the seven-time champion explaining how he had made a difference. Alhajee explained that the political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Bahrain’s Jau prison had previously boycotted watching F1 because of its history with sportswashing.
