Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain. | Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton will start the Spanish Grand Prix Sunday from third on the grid and in a fresh rainbow helmet design.

The Mercedes driver has been bringing Pride visibility to F1 circuits through his choice of colorful helmets since November 2021, when he won in Qatar with a Progress Pride flag design and ‘We Stand Together’ message.

This weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, the top of his helmet is in the traditional six-stripe Pride flag colors overlaid with a ‘Love is Love’ slogan.

It’s at least the eighth time that the British veteran has taken to the track in a statement rainbow look. Following its Qatar GP debut three years ago, Hamilton kept the same helmet for the subsequent races in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

Early last season, Hamilton brought out another rainbow design for the Bahrain GP, in the aftermath of an FIA directive about the making of political statements.

Some tried to claim that the helmet was in violation of the clampdown but it was soon being reported that the FIA had no issue with it.

Subsequently, Hamilton wore the rainbow helmet design at the Miami, Hungary and Qatar GPs — all locations in which LGBTQ rights were being rolled back or were absent.

He said before the race weekend at the Lusail International Circuit: “I think it’s always good and well raising awareness for things, but it’s more about the work that’s done in the background, the conversations that you continue to have to have.”

Related

At the time of writing, there has been no comment from Hamilton or Mercedes to accompany the new ‘Love is Love’ helmet. The annual Pride parade in Barcelona this year isn’t held until July 20, although Madrid Pride in the Spanish capital is next weekend.

Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd, the company which runs the works team of Mercedes-AMG F1 that competes in the F1 World Championship, is an industry partner of Racing Pride, the LGBTQ inclusion in motorsport initiative launched in 2019.

The work of Racing Pride was featured in a segment in the latest episode of Sky Sports’ The F1 Show, which aired at the beginning of the race weekend.