Source: Mercedes F1 Twitter
Lewis Hamilton has revealed his Qatar Grand Prix helmet that incorporates a rainbow motif in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
The seven-time champion will be sporting rainbow colours on his helmet in Qatar, a country where male homosexuality remains illegal.
Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix Lewis said it is important that sports raise awareness for human rights issues in the countries they visit.
“I do think as these sports go to these places, they are duty bound to raise awareness for these issues,” the Briton said.
“These places need scrutiny, and it needs the media to speak about these things. Equal rights is a serious issue.
“However, I’m aware that in this place they are trying to make steps and it can’t change overnight. I heard there are things like, a new reforming with the Kafala system that was in place a couple years ago, but still there’s a long way to go.
“I just feel that when we do, if we are coming to these places, we need to be raising the profile of the situation.”
Lewis adds that while a single person can only make a small difference, it is important to tackle these issues “collectively”, and high-profile figures should speak more about them.
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“What’s important is that we still try to bring awareness to some of these problems. Whilst there are some changes that have been made over time, it’s never enough, more needs to be done.
“I just know that as a sport we’ve been to, and I have been to a lot of these countries and have been ignorant, been unconscious to some of the problems in some of the places.
“So it’s down to whether you decide to educate yourself and hold the sport more accountable and make sure the sport is actually doing something about it when it goes to those places.
“That’s kind of why I’ve tried to raise my voice. But again, there’s far brighter people that are knowledgeable on these issues and are actually trying to fight them in the background.
“But I still think that we can still bring a spotlight to it and create that scrutiny and that pressure that could hopefully create change,” concluded the seven-time champion.
Racing Pride, an organization which promotes LGBTQ+ inclusion in motorsport, applauded Lewis’ “powerful gesture” on their social media channels.
“We applaud Lewis Hamilton for adding the rainbow flag to his helmet for this weekend’s Qatar GP,” Racing Pride wrote.
“It is a magnificent and powerful gesture of solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community around the world and is very much appreciated. Thank you, Lewis.”
You can take a look at the new helmet below.
First look at LH’s new lid. 🌈😍 pic.twitter.com/kpS2YwkKyJ
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 19, 2021
