Could there be any profession less eco-friendly than Formula 1 motor-racing?
Dutch F1 driver Max Verstappen doesn’t think so. And now he is taking a stand against those of his competitors who have come over all green and squeamish about the ethical implications of motor sport.
According to France 24:
Verstappen said: “Yeah, I like fuel. Can I say that? I don’t like electric stuff. Well, I like my little electric moped at home, but not for an F1 car.
“I know the environment is very important, but F1 has been around for a long time as well and I don’t think we should over-react or be drama queen about it.”
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Mexico Grand Prix he added: “Just get on with it. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it….”
Verstappen’s position is in marked contrast to that of British F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who recently urged his fans to go vegan as “the only way to save the planet”.
This is exactly the kind of principled position you can afford to take when you are personally worth $500 million, are sponsored by a Malaysian oil and gas company (Petronas), and your earn your living flying round the world in order to race round a track burning up fuel and rubber.
It’s a measure of the stupidity, hypocrisy and virtue-signalling now rampant in international sport that, instead of laughing at Hamilton, at least one of his fellow F1 champions chose to support him.
On Thursday four-time champion Sebastian Vettel — according to France 24 — “urged Formula One to step in and play a more positive role in the climate change crisis.”
Others, though, aren’t playing this silly game.
Vettel’s former Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, now of Alfa Romeo, said that if the sport became too involved “we should all stay home and forget the racing”.
“Obviously, I think it involves everybody who lives on this planet,” Raikkonen added.
“In the end, we all try to do what we can, but honestly we are probably not in the best place to start making big stories out of it because we’re burning fuel for what? To be first, second?”
I think I know who I want to win in Mexico this weekend. And it certainly ain’t tofu-munching, kilt-wearing, eco-loon Hamilton.
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