Lewis Hamilton
Formula 1 stands by him after racist attacks
Lewis Hamilton after the Formula 1 race at Silverstone.
© imago images / Every Second Media
After a crash, Lewis Hamilton was racially insulted. Formula 1 has now responded with a statement.
The Formula 1 record world champion Lewis Hamilton (36) collided with his opponent Max Verstappen (23) at Silverstone. During and after the race, Hamilton was racially abused on social media, such as Formula 1, his racing team Mercedes and the world association FIA now explain in a joint statement.
One condemns such behavior “in the strongest”, it is said on Twitter. “These people have no place in our sport and we demand that those responsible be held accountable for their actions.” Such behavior by some viewers is unacceptable. In another Formula 1 tweet it says, among other things, that “opinion and rivalry” are a central component of sport, “but there is absolutely no place for racism and discriminatory abuse”.
This is what other teams say about it
Other teams also spoke up. McLaren followed suit about the statement and explained on Twitter among other thingsthat it is “our shared responsibility to unite and [Rassismus] to eliminate”.
“While we may be bitter rivals on the track, we are all united against racism”, it says, among other things, in a statement from Red Bull Racing. There is no excuse for the insults and “there is definitely no place for it in our sport”.
After the collision, Verstappen lost control of his car at Silverstone and retired. Hamilton won the race despite a ten-second penalty. From the hospital Verstappen reported on Twitter. He was happy that he was fine, but he was “very disappointed” that he was taken out of the race in this way. The racing driver later explainedthat he has been released and that everything is okay. He also thanked his fans for their messages and wishes for wellbeing.