Lewis Hamilton slammed for supporting Saudi Arabia GP despite human rights violations

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is being been accused of hypocrisy after his comments on the controversial new Saudi Arabian Grand Prix set to take place in Jeddah next year. Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher's record with his win in Turkey on November 15. This is not the Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver's first tactless statement in recent days - his claims on the environment have also not gone down well with the media. 

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Lewis Hamilton called out for hypocritical political views 

Lewis Hamilton's most recent brush with misguided activism came when he commented that veganism was the only way to end global warming. Hamilton received intense backlash for this statement, with fans and media outlets quickly reminding him of how much pollution the sport of racing must have caused over the years. 

He was also called out on his lavish, unsustainable lifestyle, including his frequent use of his private aircraft and yacht. Fans also took the occasion to remind Hamilton that one of his major sponsors - Petronas - is a petroleum and oil company.

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The Brit is now being hauled up for his refusal to make a strong statement against the F1's decision to host a race in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - a country notorious for its human rights abuses. As the most prominent black driver in Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton was at the forefront of the organization's Black Lives Matter movement response. However, Hamilton's statement on the Saudi issue has turned out to be a damp squib.

His assertions after the BLM that that “Human rights is not a political thing" and "should be equal for everyone" are not in line with his lastest statement which reads: "We don’t have to shut those areas [which have bad human rights records] off. We have to figure out how we can engage more, how we can really utilise this platform to encourage and push for change.”

Amnesty International on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Amnesty International called on F1 drivers to “brief themselves on the dire human rights situation in the country and be prepared to speak out” against the event. Amnesty UK's Felix Jakens said that “The bitter irony over a Saudi Grand Prix is that brave people like Loujain al-Hathloul and Nassima al-Sada, who fought for the rights of Saudi women to be able to drive are now themselves languishing in jail." 

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Hamilton net worth figure

Lewis Hamilton was 13th on Forbes' list of 'The World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2020'. According to Forbes, he has endorsement deals with Bose, L'Oréal, Mercedes-Benz, Monster Energy, Police, Puma, Sony, Tommy Hilfiger, Vodafone-USD, earning $12 million in 2020 from these deals. Hamilton also has a salary of $42 million besides other bonuses and winnings. His net worth is estimated at $285 million by Celebrity Net Worth. 

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Disclaimer: The above mentioned Hamilton net worth figure has been sourced from various websites and media reports. This website does not guarantee 100% accuracy of the same.  

Image Credits: Lewis Hamilton Twitter