Lewis Hamilton urges F1 to ‘do more’ to make ‘people feel comfortable’ after Ralf Schumacher came out as gay – despite the German previously criticising the Mercedes star’s actions to support the LGBTQ+ community
Lewis Hamilton has called for Formula One to ‘do more’ to make ‘people feel comfortable’ on the back of Ralf Schumacher coming out as gay.
Ralf, who is the brother of racing legend Michael Schumacher and was in Formula One himself from 1997 to 2007, took to Instagram to go public in his relationship with French business manager Etienne.
The 49-year-old wrote: ‘The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything,’ with their relationship later confirmed by mutual friend and German actress Carmen Geiss.
He had been married to ex-wife Cora Schumacher for 14 years before the pair separated back in 2015, with racing driver son David, 22, voicing his full support of his father online.
Hamilton, meanwhile, has been known to speak up on social issues throughout his career, and, speaking before the Hunagrian Grand Prix, backed Schumacher and challenged his sport to progress.
His words came after former Fomula One driver Ralf Schumacher came out as gay on social media
Clearly he has not felt comfortable to say it in the past,’ Hamilton said. ‘It’s definitely not a new thing, it just shows that we are in a time where finally you can take that step and don’t have to fear.
But within sport, there is still a long way to go. It is one thing saying that it’s inclusive, but it’s another thing actually making sure people feel comfortable in the environment
This is a male-dominated space, and as far as I know he is one of the first to at least publicly be speaking in that respect.
‘We are very inclusive within our team but the sport does need to continue to do more to make people feel more comfortable and make women feel more welcome in this space because I know they have not always been treated well. So we have to do more.’
Hamilton has shown his support for the LGBTQ+ community in the past, wearing a rainbow crash helmet in Qatar and Saudi Arabia in a bid to promote inclusivity.
Schumacher, who works as an F1 pundit on German TV, however, previously criticised the move.
‘His values are very important and he can represent them on Instagram and in other social networks – the only question is why he always has to do it in a Mercedes suit and at the racetracks,’ Schumacher told Sport1. ‘It can polarize, but it should not provoke aggression.
‘If you as a driver focus too much on certain things, then that is dangerous, and the sport does not deserve that.
‘I am firmly convinced that sport and politics should not be combined. And if they were, it is certainly not the drivers’ job,’ he later added.
The Brit this week however added: ‘I’ve heard only positive feedback from people and I think that’s because of the times we live in.
‘I think it all started from Seb and I standing on the grid, fighting against what the government is doing here.
