• Home
  • Contact
  • Submit a News Release
Friday, June 6, 2025
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
Mainland Times — Breaking Continental European News
  • Climate
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Europe
  • Health
  • Education
  • Society
  • Sport
  • World
  • Climate
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Europe
  • Health
  • Education
  • Society
  • Sport
  • World
No Result
View All Result
Mainland Times — Breaking Continental European News
No Result
View All Result
Home Sport

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel hit back after FIA president says there is ‘no way’ he would ‘impose his beliefs’ as Formula 1 stars comment on subjects ‘bigger than any sport can be’

Michael Sanders by Michael Sanders
06/11/2022
in Sport
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel hit back after FIA president says there is ‘no way’ he would ‘impose his beliefs’ as Formula 1 stars comment on subjects ‘bigger than any sport can be’
12
VIEWS

Formula 1 stars Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Lando Norris have hit back after the president of the FIA said there is ‘no way’ he would impose his beliefs on other people.

Mohammed ben Sulayem, who replaced long serving president Jean Todt ahead of this season, namechecked the trio in reference to their public statements.

The former rally driver has come under fire for his commentsGetty Hamilton and others were surprised by the perceived criticismAFP

Seven-time champion Hamilton has been a regular proponent of human rights and diversity during his career, with he and Mercedes teammate George Russel opting to put rainbow logos on their cars this month in support of the LGBTQ community.

Aston Martin’s four-time champion, Vettel, recently appeared on British political show Question Time as he expressed his concerns about climate change, and has since featured on the front cover of Attitude, Europe’s best-selling gay magazine.

Elsewhere McLaren’s British star Norris has been a regular proponent of better mental health, talking through his own struggles, with his team now sponsored by the charity Mind.

Bin Sulayem was asked about drivers using their influence, and said while everyone has the ‘right to think’ there is no way he would impose his beliefs on others.

Referencing former world champions, he said: “Niki Lauda and Alain Prost only cared about driving. Now, Vettel drives a rainbow bicycle, Lewis is passionate about human rights and Norris addresses mental health. Everybody has the right to think.

“To me it is about deciding whether we should impose our beliefs in something over the sport all the time. I am from an Arabian culture, I am international and Muslim. I do not impose my beliefs on other people, no way.”

Vettel is a regular proponent of equal rightsGetty

Rocking the Pride Star for the month of June, to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community, and raise awareness for #PrideMonth ❤@LewisHamilton and @GeorgeRussell63 explain why it’s so important 🌈 pic.twitter.com/cgOdf6SXIt

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) June 10, 2022

Most read in Motorsport

special

Hamilton ‘speechless’ after being named honorary Brazil citizen as Pele responds

GO

Azerbaijan GP: FIA boss clarifies criticism of Hamilton for ‘imposing his beliefs’ on F1

nasty

Isle of Man TT rider gets ‘a pile of bird guts in his mouth’ from 200mph pigeon crash

RIP

Isle of Man TT sees third death in six days as Davy Morgan leaves paddock ‘heartbroken’

howler

‘One of the most incredible blunders’ – MotoGP rider celebrates a lap too early

RIP

Isle of Man TT sees second death in four days, taking circuit’s fatality count to 262

Vettel was asked about the comments ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and said: “Everything that Lewis addresses, Lando addressed, I am trying to address, are very important topics and I think they are much bigger than any sport can ever be.

Hamilton agreed, and even suggested drivers had more freedom last year before Ben Sulayem’s arrival.

“Nothing changes for me,” he said. “I continue to do what I do with or without support.

“I think Formula 1 created a space for us to be able to do what we wanted to do last year and we don’t necessarily have that space this year but it doesn’t stop us.”

Vettel has regularly showed his report for Ukraine and spoke about the war on Question TimeGetty Hamilton, who recently launched his own diversity commission will continue his work in opening the sport up to a wider audienceGetty

He later added: “I encourage all the drivers to be more outspoken and use their platform.”

Norris, who’s over a decade younger than both of his competitors also said he hoped drivers would always have the backing to express their views.

He said: “As drivers we’re obviously here to drive, that’s our primary job, but we have a platform where we can influence, and we can in miniscule ways change the world.

Norris spoke of his struggles during lockdownGetty

“It’s an amazing thing to think of that, we can have that influence and we can cause that change on people and hopefully always good change, and the more backing we can have on those things and and the more progress we can make the better.”

Dubai-born Ben Sulayem later took to Twitter to clarify his comments in response to the backlash.

He wrote: “As a driver, I have always believed in sport as a catalyst of progress in society.

“That is why promoting sustainability, diversity and inclusion is a key priority of my mandate. In the same way, I value the commitment of all drivers and champions for a better future.”

Offer Of The Day

888Sport – Get 8/1 England to win OR 28/1 Italy to win (£5 max stake)* – CLAIM HERE

Deposit min £/$/€10 using promo code 888ODDS • Bet up to £/$/€5 on your selection at normal odds in the regular market • If your selection wins, we’ll pay you out at the normal price and any extra winnings from the advertised enhanced price will be paid to you in Free Bets • Free Bets are granted within 72 hours and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes are not included in returns • Deposit balance is available for withdrawal at any time • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries & Full T&C’s apply 18+ begambleaware.org

Recommended

Tesla electric cars now available in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovenia

Tesla electric cars now available in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovenia

4 years ago
Online exhibition highlights importance of Polish mathematicians in cracking Enigma code

Online exhibition highlights importance of Polish mathematicians in cracking Enigma code

4 years ago

Popular News

  • Letter: Bill Broderick obituary

    Letter: Bill Broderick obituary

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Belarus shuts down largest independent news portal, arrests staff

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Greater Bay Airlines Unveils Ambitious Expansion Plans Into Mainland China for 2024

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Filmmaker John Martoccia Unveils New Masterpiece: Critical Acclaim Premieres October 18-24 at Cinema Village, NY & Laemmle Theatre, Santa Monica

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Alvaris Pearce, a Russian photo model with political ambitions

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Subscribe and receive the latest news to your email.

SUBSCRIBE

Category

  • Business
  • Climate
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Europe
  • Health
  • Latest
  • Society
  • Sport
  • World

Site Links

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

About Us

Mainland Times is an independent online outlet that publishes socially relevant news taking place on the European continent. Mainland Times aggregates news from several sources, and also provides coverage through a network of local correspondents.

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Submit a News Release

© 2021 All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Europe
  • Economy
  • Health
  • Climate
  • Climate
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Education
  • Society
  • World

© 2021 All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In