Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has issued a surprise, impassioned defence after “weeks” of being called racist because of his decision not to kneel during Formula 1’s anti-racism action at races.
F1 has joined a huge list of national and international sporting competitions in organising prominent displays to issue anti-racism messages since the season began last month in Austria.
Leclerc has been a part of that but is among a minority of drivers who have not knelt during the process, while the majority have – reflecting a gesture that first began when American football player Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem to protest racial profiling and abuse of black civilians by police officers.
The 22-year-old has previously stated that he believes actions are better than words and gestures, although appears to have also told La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy this week that his decision not to kneel is because he does not want to be associated with violent or political protests.
He said that thinking of racism existing in 2020 is absurd and on Thursday shortly before joining the FIA’s official press conference at Silverstone, Leclerc published a series of tweets defending himself and taking aim at unidentified parties.
It is very sad to see how some people manipulate my words to make headlines making me sound like a racist.
I am not racist and I absolutly hate racism. Racism is disgusting. 1/3— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) August 6, 2020
“It is very sad to see how some people manipulate my words to make headlines making me sound like a racist,” Leclerc wrote.
“I am not racist and I absolutely hate racism. Racism is disgusting.
“Stop putting me in the same group as these disgusting people that are discriminating others because of their skin colour, religion or gender.
“I’m not part of them and I never will be.
“I’ve always been respectful to everyone and that should be the standard in today’s world.
“And to whoever is using my image to promote their wrong ideas, please stop.
“I’m not into politics and I don’t want to be involved in that.”
F1’s anti-racism stand has divided people who believe the championship should abstain from political messaging, although adopting a position against racial discrimination is not viewed by most as a political one.
One of the more serious issues among drivers has been a fear of being linked to political organisations, and Lewis Hamilton has been criticised for using the Black Lives Matter message because that is also the name of political organisations who have co-opted it and sometimes take controversial views or actions.
Asked by The Race to explain what triggered such a strong response, Leclerc said: “Yeah, because I just don’t want to be judged anymore.
“I’m quite active on social media and I just do not accept to be called the way I’ve been called in the last few weeks, negatively obviously, just because of not kneeling.
“So that’s it I just wanted to make straightforward tweet, just to express my feelings.”
The drivers who have chosen not to kneel have been backed by the FIA, F1 and their fellow drivers – even those like Hamilton and Romain Grosjean who have expressed a preference that all 20 drivers take a knee.
Hamilton and Grosjean have also insisted that each driver has the right to make their own decision.
Grosjean’s Haas team-mate Kevin Magnussen made it seven drivers not kneeling before last weekend’s British GP having previously admitted he was concerned about being linked to political organisations he does not agree with.
“I want to make sure that I’m with the messaging of ending racism, and that I support that movement and not any sort of political organisation, which I think the Black Lives Matter movement is,” said Magnussen.
“So I just want to separate myself from that and push on with ending racism and that messaging, which I think is great that F1 is doing and all of the drivers are supporting.”
Black Lives Matter started out as a social media movement to speak out against violence towards black people in America.
It has grown into a wider network but the message itself has also been adopted by various individuals and organisations as an anti-racism slogan, rather than support of any Black Lives Matter chapter itself.
Hamilton, who wears a Black Lives Matter shirt during F1’s demonstrations, has even explained that he preaches the message because of what it stands for but does not support the politics.
