Lewis Hamilton believes his fellow drivers are ‘complicit’ in racism if they do not take the knee before today’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Some drivers resent being pressured by Hamilton into doing so, with the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) still considering their plan of action last night.
Hamilton’s accusation came as Formula One returns after Covid-19 against the backdrop of George Floyd’s killing by a white policeman in Minneapolis.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/AustrianGP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AustrianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/kV9mtFEwBR
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton)
The six-time world champion, who qualified second behind Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, has taken up the fight for black rights in recent weeks and is contemplating how to make his own public statement as he lines up for the national anthem this afternoon.
Revealing what he told a meeting of the GPDA on Friday night, Hamilton said: ‘I thanked those that have said something on their social media platforms because they have a great voice. I encouraged those who haven’t to say something. I told them silence is complicit.’
Referring to the differences of opinion, he said: ‘We know there is an issue [with racism in the sport] so we don’t need an experience like tomorrow to prove that.’
Daily Mail