Lewis Hamilton has expressed his disappointment with the recent off-track controversies involving Red Bull and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, stating that they have not been handled well and are overshadowing the on-track action in Formula 1.
The ongoing drama within Red Bull, including allegations of inappropriate behavior by team principal Christian Horner and leaked evidence, has raised tensions within the team and attracted negative attention to the sport.
Additionally, Ben Sulayem is facing investigations by F1’s governing body following whistleblower claims regarding his actions during last season’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the certification process for the Las Vegas street circuit.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, emphasized the importance of the sport adhering to its values and holding itself accountable for its actions. He highlighted the need for transparency and expressed hope for progress in resolving the issues.
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“As someone who loves the sport, it is definitely disappointing to see what is going on right now.”
“It doesn’t look good from the outside world and it doesn’t look good from within.”
“I think it’s a really, really important time for the sport to really show and stick to their values, holding ourselves accountable for our actions.”
“It is a really pivotal moment for the sport in terms of what we project to the world and how it’s handled – and it’s not been handled very well to this point and transparency is really key.”
“I am really hoping to see some progress moving forward, but I hope it is not a year that continues to go on with this, but it highlights some of the issues we also have within the sport.”
“We talk about diversity, inclusion and making people feel comfortable in this environment is key, and that’s clearly not the case.”
He emphasized the significance of creating an environment of diversity and inclusion within the sport, stating that current events are not conducive to making people feel comfortable in the F1 environment. Hamilton called for the issues to be addressed promptly and effectively to avoid further negative repercussions on the sport’s reputation.
