In a regular press event before the start of the training session, Mercedes seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton drew attention to the appalling human rights situation in the country instead of taking a chance.
The 37-year-old British rider said he was urging changes in Saudi Arabia’s human rights record as soon as there was a day in the Arab country that carried out 81 executions in 24 hours.
It is not directly our decision to compete in this country. Nevertheless, we feel obliged to speak out against the unacceptable situation that currently prevails
– quotes Hamilton as SkySports.
As is well known, Saudi Arabia has had an unprecedented human rights record for many years.
The country’s leadership makes freedom of speech completely impossible, demonstrations are considered crimes, and their participants are immediately imprisoned.
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Nor do bailiffs shy away from particularly cruel methods of torture during their detention.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of the world in terms of the number of executions, several of which are carried out in public.
Lewis Hamilton also voiced at last year’s first Saudi Grand Prix that he is not feeling well in the country because of scandalous social problems. He added at a news conference on Friday that he thought he could not change the current situation on his own, but that if he had the opportunity, he would also be open to meeting the country’s leaders in person and speaking before them.
We are writing 2022. This situation is not normal. There is no such thing as not being able to change that
Hamilton said.
Formula One management has been hugely criticized for signing a long-term contract with the Arab country to host future Saudi Grand Prix.
The F1 Saudi Grand Prix kicked off on Friday and ends with a race on Sunday night.
(Cover image: MTI)
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