• Mercedes driver backs protesters and criticises Donald Trump • ‘We can all play a role in trying to make a difference in the world’

Lewis Hamilton has added his voice to the surge of criticism of Donald Trump after the US president’s condemnation of NFL players led to widespread protests by North American athletes. The British driver, speaking before the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend, was adamant that sporting personalities should be able to use their position to express themselves and influence opinion.

Last week Trump called for NFL players to be sacked by their clubs if they knelt in protest during the US national anthem before a game. His remarks provoked further demonstrations by players across the NFL and opprobrium from other leading sporting figures such as LeBron James.

As a fellow sportsman, I kneel with and applaud those in the NFL protests | Liam Rosenior Read more

“We can all play a role in trying to make a difference in the world,” Hamilton said. “Particularly if your leader is not helping in that area.”

The three-times world champion was also strongly supportive of the sports people who had been public in their protests against the president. “I think there are opportunities all over,” he said. “I think it is open for anyone to have freedom of speech. It takes the people to try standing together and I really feel I can identify with a lot of those individuals.”

He was, however, clear that he would not be going further in the political arena. “I hate politics,” he said, smiling. “I don’t have the greatest understanding of it and I absolutely hate politics.” Nor had he any concerns with his Mercedes team at airing the sensitive issue and insisted he had not consulted them in advance.

“Not at all, I don’t feel like I need to either,” he said. “I genuinely have always had support from all of my team, I have never had any complaints from them.”

After his victory at the last round in Singapore, Hamilton has a 28-point lead over his world championship rival Sebastian Vettel, who was eliminated from the race after a first corner crash. With six races remaining, the majority of which are likely to favour the Mercedes over Vettel’s Ferrari, Hamilton is on the front foot.

“We all have weak spots and part of the process of fighting a competitor is always to try and find the exposed areas,” he said. “If you are playing tennis and you know the server’s not so good with the backhand you then always send it that way. So it’s about trying to identify that and trying to target that.”

The 32-year-old has won two world championships with Mercedes and his contract with the team is up at the end of 2018. He is expected to sign an extension this season but having previously talked about retirement, made it clear that he did not foresee any future in racing after leaving Formula One.

“I can’t see that I will [stay in motorsport],” he said. “There is no other racing series that I have any desire to drive in. It is a shame, I wish I did have more passion in me to do IndyCar or Le Mans but there isn’t, there is zero, nothing.”