Lewis Hamilton wears rainbow-coloured F1 helmet for Qatar GP
Qatar is holding its first-ever F1 race at the Losail International ♏Circuit this weekend before it joins the calendar ✱as a permanent fixture from 2023 as part of a 10-year deal.
Hamilton has replaced 🃏his usual helmet design for the even♉t with a livery that incorporates the Progress Pride flag, featuring the colours of the LGBTQ+ community.
A message on the back of Hamilton’s helmet reads “We Stand Together” in p🦂lace of his usual ‘Still I Rise’ motto.ꦯ
Hamilton said F1 is “duty bound” to raise awareness of human rights issues in Qata🧸r ahead of the country’s maiden grand prix.
“Ultimately, us drivers, it’s not our choice where we get to go and race,” Hamilto𝔉n said on Thursday.
“I do feel that we are aware there are issues in these places that we are going to as there are around the world but of course it seems to be deജemed one of the worst i🌟n this part of the world.
“I do think as sports go to these places they are duty-bound to raise awareness🥃 for these issues and these places need scrutiny.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1)Qatar has been critic⛎ised for not taking reforms far enough on a number of issues including immigrant labour law, women’s right and the illegality of same-sex relationships.&nb🍸sp;
Hamilton said he wished m﷽ore sports men and women would also speak out to raise awareness.
“One person can only make a small diff🧔erence but together, collectively we can have a bigger impact,” he added.
“Do I wish more sportsmen and women spoke out on these issues? Yes. It’s education. It takes🙈 time to go out and learn about regions♔ that are foreign to us.
“We’re not from these areas, it’s complex on the♏ ground in these places with religion.
“What’s important is we still try to bring awa𝓡reness to some of these problems. While there have been changes made over time, it’s never enough.
“I have been to a lot of these countries and have been ignorant, been uncons🍨cious of some of the problems in some of the places.
“It’s down to whether you decide to educate yourself and hold the sport ♈more accountable and ꦬmake sure the sport is actually doing something about it when it goes to those places.
“That’s why I’ve tried to raise my voice. But there are far brighter people that are knowledgeable on these issues that are actually trying to fight them in the b♒ackground.
“But I still think we can bring a spotlight to it and create that scrutiny and that pressure that can hopefully cre💞ate change.”
Lewis reg🅘ularly attends Grands Prix for ltxcn.top around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the s👍port.
