Sebastian Vettel has opened up on his decision to wear a Pride shirt in support of the LGBTQ+ community at the Hungarian Grand Prix in August.
Vettel stood on the grid before the race wearing a shirt featuring rainbow colours, protesting the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. He also wore a rainbow facemask and racing boots.
Vettel said he hopes the gestures help change mindsets in Formula One.
« If I can be an inspiration, that’s great, but in the end, the whole environment has to be inviting, » Vettel told the BBC’s LGBT Podcast.
« So if small things like what I did help to raise awareness and express support, that’s great. But we have to stop judging people on what they like to do and who they love. We should be seeing the people first, and everyone is different and everyone has a beauty about them.
« Let’s just treat people the way we want to treat them, equally, and not based on who they love. »
Speaking about the « Same Love » message he wore on the shirt, Vettel said: « It’s the name of a beautiful song by Macklemore, and I think it explains in a nice way some of the wrong perceptions people have.
« It doesn’t matter your skin colour, it doesn’t matter your background, it doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter who you fall in love with. In the end, you just want equal treatment for everybody. »
While Lewis Hamilton has always worn a shirt carrying a social message before races, no other driver had made such a strong political statement ahead of a race until Vettel in Budapest. The Aston Martin driver said he was pleased to do it — after the race, he told the media he would happily do it again.
« I wasn’t nervous or embarrassed by the rainbow colours, or of what people think, » Vettel said. « I wanted to send a message, and I was very proud to do it.
« I remembered I’d seen in the news that the current government doesn’t have the most progressive views on certain things.
« There was a lot of debate about the laws that prohibit access to all ages getting a wholesome education and leaving some parts out, which I think is completely wrong.
« So the idea was born that we have this moment before the race where we are able to put out certain messages, and I thought it was a good opportunity to send out a small sign. »
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/32165654/sebastian-vettel-stop-judging-people-like-do-love
