Kvyat: Kneeling 'against the Russian mentality'
Jul.14 - It is a "personal choice" whether drivers want to kneel or stand amid the new wave of racial politics that is sweeping through Formula 1, according to Daniil Kvyat.
For the second consecutive Sunday, only a minority of the drivers refused to join the Lewis Hamilton-led gesture in support of Black Lives Matter in Austria.
"I already expressed my position last week," Kvyat, who was one of the dissenting drivers, told Russia-1 television.
"All of the drivers are united in the fight against racism," said the Russian, who joined all of his rivals in wearing black 'End Racism' t-shirts.
"But I am against kneeling. It's against the Russian mentality," Kvyat added. "We don't kneel just like that, there must always be a very good reason."
The intrusion of politics into Formula 1 has visibly divided the drivers, but Kvyat insists that gestures of that nature are a "personal choice".
"Nobody pushes anyone to do anything. Every driver, every employee in Formula 1 does what he sees fit," said the AlphaTauri driver. "I think there's no drama in all of this.
"For some people, kneeling is fine, but I want to express my position in a different way, like some other colleagues. We are all calm, everyone is concentrated before the race, there are no serious disagreements.
"We all fight against racism, but everyone does it in their way," Kvyat said.
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I think that kneeling (a political gesture for an organisation that appears to be associated with Marxists) should be banned from F1. I have been a fan of Lewis since he joined McLaren but I am afraid that the BLM stint is wearing thin. As for putting pressure on the other drivers to follow him in this is totally unacceptable in any sport let alone the top one of F1. I am not a racist, never have been and in fact have a son who is part African/American. Although not in the UK now I was born there and perhaps I should start up a Saxon Lives Matter or Briton Lives matter or Celtic Lives matter. It would be just as relative based on somethings that happened centuries ago. However the USA has a lot to answer for in this area in the current time period. Let the protests be kept in the USA.
I am in 100% agreement with you on this. This country is supposed to have zero tolerance to bullying, which I feel drivers choosing not to kneel, are being subjected to, very subtly. I was really disappointed that the Sky F1 commenting team, chose to bring this matter up, saying it seemed to not show a united front, or words to that effect. Just because footballers take a knee, doesn't mean F1 drivers should. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should
I agree to the the two comments above. I am getting really peeved by the BLM supporters who seem fixated by making normal people feel guilty about the past.Why dont they accept that all lives matter? what happened long ago can not be changed I dont feel guilty because I had no part in it.
Should be banned from football as well.
It`s about time Sky sports and their presenters all STFU about taking the knee & all the blm political shit and got on with unbiased presenting of F1 after all that is what you are all paid a lot of money for!
BLM er ikke interesserede i at blive sat i bås med Antifa. Det er dem, der er ved at smadre hele BLM sagen, så stop dig selv Hamilton.
" The new wave of racial politics".
Since when was was racial equality and equal justice a political issue?
Many people would like this to appear to be political issue, in order to malign the significance of this human rights injustice.
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