Anthony Hamilton, father of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, has been appointed to an official role with the FIA, motorsport’s governing body, to spearhead its young driver development program.
The announcement, set to be formalized at the FIA conference in Macau in June, follows Hamilton’s 18-month collaboration with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
A spokesperson for the FIA praised Anthony’s “invaluable insights” into driver development, drawing on his experience guiding his son’s early career until 2010.
The move, first reported by The Times, comes at a turbulent time for the FIA. Ben Sulayem, facing re-election in December after a contentious three-year tenure, has been embroiled in controversies, including a recent proposal to amend FIA statutes for the second time in six months, raising concerns about consolidating his authority.
Anthony Hamilton’s appointment is notable given Lewis Hamilton’s public criticism of Ben Sulayem’s leadership. On Thursday, Lewis commented on the FIA’s reversal of penalties for driver swearing, stating, “It seems a bit of a mess there at the moment. There’s lots of changes that are needed, for sure. But it doesn’t really impact me at all.”