Spielberg, Jul 3 (IANS): Reigning Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has unveiled a new helmet in support of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement for the upcoming season which begins with Austria GP. He wore the helmet in the first practice session on Friday.

Hamilton's customised helmet comes after Mercedes had announced black-liveried cars for the 2020 season as the world champions aim to make a visual stand against racism and for diversity.

Apart from the 'Black Lives Matter' message, Hamilton's latest gear also has 'Still We Rise' message engraved on the back of the helmet which is predominantly black in colour with shades of purple.

"The whole reason my helmet has changed colour, the suit has, and also the car, it's all for equality above all, and just really continuing to solidify that message," Hamilton said in a video uploaded on his Twitter handle.

"We currently now have the mic, and people are starting to listen. We've got the opportunity to really push that message and really hold people accountable.

"Brands and the teams in Formula 1, everybody here needs to be held accountable and be open to educate themselves, be open to understand why the movement is happening, and why around the world we need to keep pushing for equality," he added.

"Because it's not good enough. Even if someone says to you we've been doing something or we've been trying, they need to try harder, because it's still a big issue that the world is fighting, 60 years later after Martin Luther King was fighting for it.

"That's what it's about. I kept the purple from what I planned to start this season, it's my favourite colour, and yeah, I hope that you get to see it when I'm in the car," he further said.

Austria's Red Bull Ring in Spielberg will play host to the first race of the season, which otherwise would have been the 11th grand prix on the normal calendar.

Six-time champion Hamilton will be gunning to equal legendary Michael Schumacher's all-time record of seven F1 titles in the upcoming season.