Lewis Hamilton's Admission of Childhood Depression is a Wake Up Call for Junior Karting

Motorsport UK and the FIA need to consider the pressure young children are now under!

Lewis Hamilton recently told The Times that he has "...suffered from depression. From a very early age, when I was around 13. I think it was the pressure of racing and struggling at school. The bullying. I had no one to talk to."

I happened to race karts at the same time as Hamilton and competed with him when he raced at my local club a few times. What I believe is underappreciated about Lewis’s career is the level of mainstream attention he received from as young as 11 years old, largely due to ITV’s Champion of the Future series.

This wasn't just the odd news report – it was full-blown mainstream television coverage of karting. At the time, as a child, it was exciting to see people I raced against on TV. It felt cool. But now, as a 38-year-old adult, I look back on it with a more sceptical eye. I’m not sure how ethical it was for a junior kart series to be so closely associated with Formula 1, let alone to receive mainstream coverage.

Imagine for a moment that we had Under-11 football leagues (which we don’t, as the FA prohibits them) that were associated with Premier League teams and broadcast on ITV on Saturdays. I think we would all collectively agree that this is not appropriate.

Youth sport is supposed to be a time for young people to compete and learn, to make mistakes without facing societal consequences or finding themselves plastered all over social media. Even though we didn’t have social media in the 90s, the amount of exposure Hamilton received as a child was far greater than that of almost any other competitor I can think of.

By the age of 13, Hamilton had stepped up to European competition and joined McLaren. The pressure must have been enormous. I cannot speak for Lewis directly, but he himself has linked his depression to the pressures he faced while racing. We will never know all the factors involved, but it is crucial to discuss and question the pressure children are often subjected to in competitive sports that this admission from Lewis Hamilton raises.

Prior to this Substack post, I wrote for A Call for Change in Motorsport UK’s Approach. I would extend this critique to the FIA as well. My latest concern stems from when I attended the FIA World Karting Championship and felt it was not a healthy environment for children. Junior Karting should be a place for young people to race, make mistakes, and enjoy time with their families. Any career aspirations should only be seriously considered from the age of 14 onwards. I understand that substantial sums of money are involved and that change is unlikely, but I think the sport is approaching a point where serious questions need to be raised. Championships are fine, but the associations with F1 and ‘major’ British and International title labels don’t actually add anything to the experience of karting competition. They just bring pressure.

Here is what I previously wrote:

In the world of youth motorsport, the debate over the optimal approach to nurturing young talent has been ignited by the contrasting philosophies of Motorsport UK and the Football Association (FA). As the governing body for karting, Motorsport UK maintains a robust British Championship system for Cadets and Juniors, whereas the FA’s Youth Review eschews league or championship racing for under-11s in favor of a development-focused model. This op-ed contends that Motorsport UK should take a page from the FA’s playbook and consider a restructuring of its major championships for the betterment of young drivers and the sport as a whole.

At the heart of this argument lies the balance between development and competition. The FA’s approach, as outlined in its Youth Review, prioritizes the holistic development of young footballers, avoiding the publication of league tables for under-11s. The rationale is clear: the focus should be on nurturing talent, not on chasing titles. Motorsport UK, with its fully-fledged British Championship system for young drivers, may need to reassess whether the pursuit of major titles at such an early age is in the best interest of the long-term growth and well-being of these aspiring racers.

Ethical considerations also come into play. Motorsport, like many other youth sports, relies on the financial contributions of children and their families. However, the question arises: is it ethical to hinge the sport’s financial sustainability on the spending habits of children and their families? The FA, by restricting major titles for young footballers, acknowledges the potential pitfalls of such an approach. Aligning with this model, Motorsport UK could foster a more ethical and inclusive karting environment, prioritizing the well-being of young participants over financial gains.

Over-specialization is another concern in youth motorsport. The argument here is not a call for a ban on competition but rather a reassessment of the focus and intensity of major championships for young drivers. The FA’s encouragement for youth footballers to engage in multiple sports acknowledges the potential drawbacks of early over-specialization. By reconsidering the necessity of major championships for children, Motorsport UK could promote varied participation, reduce inflationary pressures on karting costs, and contribute to the overall well-rounded development of young athletes.

Critically examining the assumption that elite-level youth athletes inevitably become elite-level adults, I am advocating for a shift in perspective. The FA, by avoiding season-long and major competitions for young footballers, challenges the notion that early exposure to intense competition guarantees long-term success. Motorsport UK, by adopting a similar approach, may contribute to the long-term success and overall well-being of young drivers, moving away from a model that places undue pressure on children chasing major titles.

In conclusion, the time has come for Motorsport UK to reconsider its stance on major championships for young drivers. By aligning more closely with the FA’s development-focused philosophy, Motorsport UK has the opportunity to reshape youth karting into a more accessible, inclusive, and development-oriented endeavor. The conversation is not about abandoning competition but rather about striking the right balance for the sake of young drivers and the future of the sport.

Notably, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen also do not frequently return to the karting scene, in contrast to previous F1 legends such as Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, who continued to participate in karting whenever possible during their F1 careers. While I cannot speak to the motivations or feelings of Hamilton and Verstappen regarding karting, I can speak to the immense pressure placed on young children racing for British, European, and World titles.

Perhaps it’s time for the major governing bodies to step back and seriously consider the direction karting has taken. What was once an adult-driven sport is now primarily child-driven, and more than ever, it resembles a pressure cooker. Is this healthy and wise?