Lewis Hamilton has suggested he was so successful on the track this year because he was motivated to discuss the Black Live Matters movement in post-win interviews.

Mr Hamilton, 35, took a knee on the grid and wore anti-racism slogans in support of the Black Lives Matter cause during the season which saw him win his seventh Formula 1 world title.

The Briton’s Mercedes team also adopted a black livery for the 2020 campaign in a stand against discrimination.

The racing driver, who guest edited BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday, said: “All of a sudden I had this extra drive in me this year to get to the end of those races.”

He was voted as the 2020 BBC Sports Personality of the Year earlier this month after equalling Michael Schumacher’s record of winning seven world championships and passing the German’s total of 91 Grand Prix victories.

Mr Hamilton told historian and presenter Prof David Olusoga: “It was a different drive than what I’ve had in me in the past, to get to the end of those races first so that I could utilise that platform [for Black Lives Matter] and shine the light as bright as possible.”

Asked by the historian if he had been concerned about the response to his stance, Hamilton replied: “There is no way that I could stay silent. And once I said that to myself, I didn’t hold any fear.”

Hamilton was also asked by presenter Nick Robinson about racism in his sport and the fact that he is the only black F1 driver.

“There are many other young kids of colour that deserve the opportunity to progress, have a great education, [who could] be an engineer or whatever it is they want. But the fact is, the opportunity is not the same for them,” he said.

The Mercedes driver also hinted that activism might represent a new avenue for him when he retires from racing.

“The happiness and success of winning these championships is a wonderful thing, but it’s short lived,” Hamilton added.

Every year, the Today programme invites a series of high-profile guests to take charge of an edition of the show, with each setting the agenda for one day across the Christmas and New Year period.

Other guest editors this year include The Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith and author Margaret Atwood.

Hamilton also said he wants schools to shift their curriculums to teach more black history, adding that he was just taught “white history” when he was a student.

He said: “Growing up in the UK, you learn about white history, simple as. I never learnt about black history, I never learnt about where my family were from.

“My family is from Grenada but my Dad hadn’t really taken me through the history books of where my granddad’s roots started, where my grandparents, [and] great-grandparents were from.

“It wasn’t until this year it became a real learning year, I had to go and do that learning from myself and discover my grandparents are from the Windrush generation, which I’m even more proud of my granddad now and my grandparents and what they achieved.”