Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton won't boycott Belgian Grand Prix after Jacob Blake shooting

Lewis Hamilton is not planning to follow the lead of several American teams and sportstars by boycotting Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

The NBA's Wisconsin-based Milwaukee Bucks started the boycotts when they refused to take the court for their playoff game on Wednesday following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.

Other teams followed suit in an unprecedented show of athlete solidarity and the protests spilled over into Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the Women's NBA and tennis.

"Firstly, I think it’s incredible what many out there in the States are doing within their sports all the way down to the people that are hosting, commentators for example,” said Hamilton, Formula One’s first and only black driver.

"It is a shame that is what is needed over there in order to get a reaction, but that is in America. I don’t know if really me doing something here will particularly have an effect. We are in Belgium, not the United States.

"I have not spoken to anybody about it but I am really proud of so many of them over there in the States and what they are doing within their sports. I stand unified with them. So many people are standing with the players and pushing for change."

Hamilton, who is on course to equal Michael Schumacher’s record haul of seven titles this season, has been a vocal supporter of the campaign to end racism that has swept global sport since George Floyd died on May 25 after a Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck.

Hamilton, together with some of the other drivers, has taken a knee, has 'Black Lives Matter' written on his race helmet and has launched a commission to push diversity in motorsport.

“I do stand unified with them, trying to do what I can over here,” he said referring to athletes boycotting events in the US.

"I don’t really know how, not doing the race... (it) will still go on. But...I will still speak to Formula One to see what else we can do to continue to raise awareness and continue to help push (for racial justice)."

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel says every driver remains committed to fighting against racial injustice.

"We sent a strong message after the first event and our feeling was very clear that we wanted to continue sending that message," he said.

"It is one of those things that does not go away overnight. How long will we continue? There is no answer to that. It is important to keep sending the message and that's what we will continue to do."