Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has criticised the government in Florida ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, with the state having passed a bill to reduce children’s exposure to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Hamilton has been a key supporter of the LGBTQ community for several years, with the 38-year-old having often used his voice to demonstrate support for the community in places like the Middle East, where same-sex marriage remains illegal.
The Mercedes driver famously wore an LGBTQ-themed helmet in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, two countries where members of the LGBTQ community are essentially treated as criminals.
He has continuously pushed for better rights across the globe for the LGBTQ community, with him having again used his voice in Miami this weekend.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
Hamilton stressed his support of those fighting a recent bill passed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, which has seen public school teachers banned from teaching students about gender identity and sexual orientation.
The bill, which was approved into state law towards the end of March, has been dubbed as “Don’t Say Gay”, with it striking a concerning resemblance to how LGBTQ members are treated in the Middle East.
“It’s not good at all,” Hamilton said, as quoted by La Presse.
“I support the community here.
“I hope they will continue to fight. I will have the rainbow on my helmet. It’s no different from when we were in Saudi Arabia.”
Hamilton has in the past questioned whether Formula 1 should be racing in places like Saudi Arabia where human rights are such an alarming issue, most notably to women and the LGBTQ community.
He hasn’t mentioned the same, though, for Miami, with the 103-time race winner noting that it’s not his decision on where in the world the pinnacle of motorsport races.
READ: ‘We’ll see’: Charles Leclerc on replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes
“It’s not for me to decide,” Hamilton admitted
“I have heard and read some of the decisions made here – I don’t agree with them and I don’t support them. It’s not the people of Miami who make these decisions, it’s the government people.
“I think, hopefully, all I can do – the sport is going to be here whether I am or not – but the least I can do is just continue to be supportive and just being here and having that on my helmet, hopefully that speaks well to the subject.”