Verstappen: Everyone is equal in this world
Jul.3 - Max Verstappen says he will remain "very careful" about getting involved in Formula 1's new political moment.
In Austria, Lewis Hamilton revealed he has added 'Black Lives Matter' branding to his all black 2020 helmet design, while the drivers are under pressure to 'take a knee' in support of the progressive movement on Sunday.
"I was looking for an apolitical way to show our support and taking a knee is the best solution," Romain Grosjean told RMC Sport.
However, Hamilton has gone a step further, advocating for the removal of some statues and even marching in a Black Lives Matter protest recently.
And he also called on his fellow drivers to stop being silent about racism.
"He meant the whole community, not just the drivers," Red Bull's Max Verstappen is quoted by De Telegraaf.
"It's good to do something, but you also have to be very careful in these situations, and be careful what you write or post.
"I can't decide for others, and I don't want to do that. I can only speak for myself. But I can't imagine anyone favouring racism. Everyone is equal in this world to me," the Dutch driver added.
It is also an awkward moment for Formula 1 itself, as Chase Carey's wife is reportedly a Donald Trump supporter while Hamilton and Mercedes are linking their on-track hopes for 2020 with Black Lives Matter.
"Winning the title this year would mean more than ever before being that it is such a momentous year in the sense of this pandemic and on a more personal level with Black Lives Matter fighting for injustice and equality," said the six-time world champion.
Former F1 driver Vitaly Petrov says he supports Hamilton's right to bring politics into the paddock.
"It seems to me that everyone has the right to express themselves as they see fit," he told Match TV. "Perhaps it could be done more quietly but I can't say anything bad about Lewis."
Told that Hamilton may be unpopular among his rivals, though, Petrov added: "The drivers don't all like each other. Lewis is a champion and he has the right to speak out and maybe he is not bothered by any harsh words.
"We need to wait for his explanation of exactly what he is calling for," he said.
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Aye, and there's the problem. It's Trumpsters vs. BLM, and now it's spread to our sport. VER here makes the most intelligent comments that he has ever made. Maybe I won't diss him quite so much. Opinion and chuckles, folks, opinion and chuckles.
Keep politics out of F1. A great fan of Lewis for years and a very intelligent speaker. However BLM is a Marxist controlled organisation. If necessary keep it in the USA, It is not about race, just about violence. I have never considered any F1 driver or teams along racial lines. It matters not to me. I do not care whether they are black, brown, pink, yellow or white. BLM is disgusting to me. Of course Black Lives Matter as does any life but BLM has just become an excuse to riot and destroy society. Violence does happen along racial lines in the US and always has especially in the southern states so BLM counts there but in no way in the UK or most if not all of Europe it does not. When you see a large group of police in the UK going down on knee in front of rioters the law and order in that country have lost the plot. Incidentally I have a son who is black as well as two "white" sons and I love them all dearly (now all in their 40s).
Well said Max keep it real and don't get dragged into all this political BS
BLM was founded by a Marxist and continues to push Marxist ideology on the world. Also one of BLM's 13 Guiding Principles is the destruction of the nuclear family. Read the BLM web site to verify these facts. I support law and order and equality under the law. I do not support BLM. Everyone needs to personally investigate each organization before blindly accepting the propaganda from the biased news outlets or uninformed social media.
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