The two drivers say they will not take a knee on the grid today because they are committed to fighting against ‘racism’ as a whole and not just Black Lives Matter movement
Formula 1 drivers who form the Grand Prix Drivers Association decided together with their chairman to take a knee in support of the anti-racism campaign but Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max have decided they won’t be part of the clan while Lewis Hamilton still seems to be deciding whether to take a knee or not.
Both Verstappen and Leclerc took to Instagram to announce their ‘betrayal’ ahead of the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.
Leclerc tweeted, “I believe that what matters are facts and behaviors in our daily lives rather than gestures that could be seen as controversial in some countries. I will not take the knee but this does not mean at all that I am less committed than others in the fight against racism”
Well, this is definitely going to spark some controversy.
Max also believes that he is “very committed to equality and the fight against racism” but he thinks everyone has the right to express themselves in different ways at a time that best suits them and that he will “not take the knee today but respect and support the personal choices every driver makes”.
There were reports speculating that five drivers had refused to take the knee, Leclerc and Verstappen has come out clean as the first two and have made it clear that their reluctance or refusal to bend the knee doesn’t mean they do not respect the movement whatsoever, they have their own way of showing their support.
But is this what the GPDA meant by encouraging the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion? We will find out one way or the other.
Lewis Hamilton who has been one of the leading voices in the campaign initially told his rivals that silence on the issue is generally complicit and rumors have it that many of the drivers are upset at his comments
Formula 1’s ruling body told reporters that sports should be careful and diligent so as not to allow itself to be used by political influences. ” sometimes there is a tendency to use it as a weapon and we have to be careful of that, but I admire people who have conviction and do as much as they can”.
Most of these drivers may bend the knee but not only to support the Black Lives Movement. Has driver Kevin Magnussen had said that he intends to kneel not so much because he supports the BLM organization but more because he wants to support the worldwide movement against racism and discrimination
This is quite comprehensible but most people refuse to acknowledge the situation at hand, the black people in the states do not have the same privilege as the white people. Fine, Asian and Hispanic people also get discriminated on but not like black people, black people actually get killed and this the time for black people, it’s their time to speak out, let’s not block their shade.
The Company Sports 