Lewis Hamilton praises Vinicius Junior for being brave in speaking out against racist abuse he suffered during a game in Spain. Hamilton, who has also experienced racist abuse in his career, describes the situation as “devastating”. Vinicius released a statement saying it is hurtful to hear what people say and that racism is still a problem in 2023. The incident has been described as a “hate crime” and Real Madrid have filed a complaint with the Spanish State Attorney General’s Office. Brazilian protestors have also gathered outside the Spanish consulate in Sao Paulo to condemn the incident.
Lewis Hamilton Praises Vinicius Junior for His Bravery in the Face of Racism
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has spoken out in support of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, who was racially abused during a recent game. Hamilton, who himself has been the target of racist abuse during his career, praised Vinicius for his bravery in speaking out against the abuse.
Vinicius took to social media to speak out after being abused during Sunday’s game against Valencia, saying that LaLiga “belongs to the racists” and that he had endured similar abuse throughout the league. Hamilton, who became F1’s first black driver when he entered the sport in 2007, said that the situation had evoked memories of his own experiences with racism.
“It’s devastating to think in 2023 we’re still seeing these things and hearing these things,” Vinicius said in Monaco on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix. “It really hits home for me, it really brings up emotions, things that I experienced – whether it was back in the UK, or whether it was when I was racing in Italy, or France, or Spain. It can be so hurtful the things that people say.”
Vinicius was targeted by chants from sections of the crowd during Sunday’s match, with the game being stopped in the second half for 10 minutes as the visibly angry 22-year-old grabbed the referee and pointed towards fans who he felt had abused him. He was later sent off for violent conduct in added time following an altercation with striker Hugo Duro, but the red card has since been rescinded by LaLiga.
Real Madrid filed a complaint with the Spanish State Attorney General’s Office, saying that the incident constituted a “hate crime”. Meanwhile, Brazilian protestors gathered outside the Spanish consulate in Sao Paulo to condemn the abuse.
Hamilton praised Vinicius for his reaction to the incident, calling him “incredibly brave”. The F1 driver has been a vocal advocate for racial justice, using his platform to call attention to issues of inequality and discrimination.
“It’s devastating to see that he’s had to experience that,” Hamilton said. “But I’m really proud of him for speaking out and being incredibly brave. We need more people to do that.”
Hamilton has faced his own share of racist abuse during his career, including incidents where he was called racial slurs by other drivers and fans. He has called for more action to be taken to address racism in motorsport, and has been an outspoken advocate for diversity and inclusion in the sport.
The incident involving Vinicius highlights the ongoing problem of racism in football and in society more broadly. It is a reminder that more needs to be done to address this issue and to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their race or ethnicity.
As Hamilton said, “We need to work together to make sure that we can end this kind of behavior and make the world a more equal place for everyone.” It is a sentiment that all of us should strive to uphold.
