LEWIS HAMILTON has no regrets about wearing a controversial T-shirt on the podium at the Tuscan GP – but expects to be punished next time he does it.
The F1 champion was dressed in a shirt saying ‘Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor’ in response to the black American woman shot by Louisville police officers back in March.
Lewis Hamilton has no regrets over wearing a T-shirt saying ‘Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor’Credit: Getty
The British star says he is expecting a ban from F1 after he wore it at the Tuscan GPCredit: Reuters
Hamilton has vowed to continue his fight to promote diversity and put an end to racismCredit: Reuters
The sports’ governing body, the FIA, did not investigate Hamilton’s actions but the Brit fears that the rules will be changed ahead of this weekend’s Russian GP to prevent him repeating the stunt.
However, he remains defiant and will continue his fight to promote diversity and put an end to racism.
Hamilton, who can equal Michael Schumacher’s all-time F1 wins record this weekend in Sochi, arrived in the paddock wearing an altogether different T-shirt yesterday – featuring a bikini-clad model.
He said: “I don’t regret a single moment of it. I have not spoken to the FIA. What was really positive was the support I got from the fans.
“I usually follow my heart and do what is right and I felt that was me following my heart.
“I did something that has never really happened in Formula One and obviously they will stop it from happening again moving forwards.
“People say sport is not a place for politics, but it is human rights issues, and in my mind that is something we should be pushing towards.
“We have a huge group of amazing people who watch our sport and are from different backgrounds and cultures.
“We should be pushing positive messages towards them, especially for equality.
“I don’t know what they are going to do this weekend. Lots of rules have been written for me over the years but that hasn’t stopped me.”
The 35-year-old says that his decision to wear the T-shirt in Mugello for the Tuscan GP served its purpose as it started people thinking about the issue.
And that he will continue to work with the FIA in their pre-race anti-racism message.
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He added: “The FIA are a group of very intelligent people so I hope they do understand the[ severity of what is happening].
“But as a business and an organisation they have got certain limits and they feel they have to work within and try to make everyone happy which is not something I do.
“I try to do the right thing. This is a learning process for everyone because people have been happy with how life and society has operated.
“But the world, particularly the younger generation, is conscious that things are not equal and change is needed so it takes conversations with people and things like Mugello to spark a conversation that would never have taken place.
“I have heard tomorrow they will come out with a new ruling saying what you can and cannot do and I will just try to continue to work with them – agree or disagree.
“Do I believe they fully understand [the severity]? I don’t know but perhaps in the future we all will to the same extent.”
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Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
