Charles Leclerc disagrees with Lewis Hamilton’s claim that Formula One is a billionaires boys’ club

• Charles Leclerc does not agree with Lewis Hamilton that Formula One is a "billionaires boys' club."
• The Ferrari driver says there are currently "a lot of efforts" to improve diversity in the sport.
• "The road is still long, but it's going in the right direction for sure," he told Insider.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc does not agree with Lewis Hamilton's claim that Formula One is a "billionaires boys' club."

Hamilton made the comment in May, adding that it would be impossible for someone with a working class background like his own to break into the sport now.

"If I go back to where I started, growing up in a normal working class family, there is no way I could be here – the guys you are fighting against have that much more money," he said.

Leclerc, who was born and raised in Monaco, disagrees. "I understand Lewis' point, but I feel like there are a lot of efforts on that at the moment," the 23-year-old told Insider.

"Lewis is trying to help it with The Hamilton Commission, and he's doing a lot with it."

Launched in 2020, The Hamilton Commission is a research partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering that aims to provide more young Black people with a route into motorsport through subjects such as science, mathematics, and technology.

"Ferrari Drivers Academy for example is also trying to help people in general and diverse people all over the world," Leclerc continued.

"They actually have a girl [Maya Weug] for example in their academy. It is definitely something we should all do better and all try to, but I feel like there are quite a lot of efforts in that too.

"The road is still long, but it's going in the right direction, for sure."

Of Formula One's 20 current drivers, three - Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi, and Nikita Mazepin - are the sons of billionaires, while Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher are both the sons of former F1 drivers.

Leclerc himself is the godson of the late Ferrari driver Jules Bianchi, who died in 2015 aged just 25 as the result of a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

In an effort to improve diversity within the sport, Formula One launched on Wednesday a series of scholarships, apprenticeships, and intern placements for under-represented groups.

F1 will fund the studies and some living expenses of 10 students from minority groups across six European universities - five British and one Italian. Each student will also be given a work placement in an F1 team.

There will also be six internships and two apprenticeship roles available at F1.

"Formula 1 is a global sport with fans across the world," said F1 chairman Stefano Domenicali.

"We want to be as diverse as our fan base and that is why we are taking action to ensure talented people from underrepresented groups have the best opportunities to get into, and build, a fantastic career in this amazing sport."