Lewis Hamilton today delivered a blistering attack on Formula One, saying it discriminates against women.

The seven-time world champion also revealed he did not support the most powerful man in world motor sport, Mohammed ben Sulayem.

In a strident speech in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, he supported Susie Wolff, the wife of his Mercedes boss Toto. She has begun criminal proceedings in France against the FIA, the governing body run by Ben Sulayem.

Susie Wolff, 41, is angry that she was subject to an investigation by the FIA into a potential conflict of interest, given her position as the head of the F1 Academy, run and owned by the sport’s owners Liberty Media, and her husband’s involvement as a F1 team principal.

The issue was looked into and dismissed by the FIA compliance department in December.

Lewis Hamilton has slammed the ‘terrible’ F1 conditions in which ‘filing a complaint’ gets women fired

His comments come after Red Bull suspended a female employee who accused Christian Horner of ‘inappropriate behaviour’

Hamilton, 39, said: ‘I’m incredibly proud of Susie. I think she is so brave, and she stands for such great values. She’s such a leader in a world where often people are silenced. For her to be standing up sends such a great message.’

Apparently alluding to the woman at the centre of the Red Bull scandal, who has complained about alleged harassment by team principal Christian Horner – a charge of which he has been cleared in an internal inquiry – Hamilton added: ‘It is still a male-dominated sport.

‘We’re living in a time where the message is if you file a complaint, you will be fired (the women in the Red Bull saga has been suspended on full pay), and that is a terrible narrative to be projecting to the world, especially when we’re talking about inclusivity in the sport. We need to make sure we stay true to the core values.

‘I love that she’s taken it out of this world (of F1) because there is a real lack of accountability here, within this sport, within the FIA. Things are happening behind closed doors. There is no transparency, and we need that.

‘The fans need that. How can you trust the sport and what is happening here if you don’t have that? ‘

Hopefully the stand she’s taking now will create change, will have a positive impact, and especially for women.’

Hamilton voiced his support for Susie Wolff’s legal action against the FIA after they investigated what they called a ‘conflict of interest’ last year

Hamilton said he hopes that Wolff’s action  ‘have a positive impact, and especially for women’ in the sport

On Wednesday, Wolff wrote on social media: ‘I can confirm that I personally filed a criminal complaint in the French courts on March 4 in relation to the statements made about me by the FIA last December.

‘There has still not been any transparency or accountability in relation to the conduct of the FIA and its personnel in this matter.