Sebastian Vettel has in recent years been very involved in promoting a number of causes, such as the environment.
In 2021, he also took advantage of the Hungarian Grand Prix, amid discussions around a law prohibiting the representation and teaching of issues related to homosexuality and transgender people to children under 18, to show support for the LGBTQ cause. He had notably sported an outfit and a helmet in rainbow colors, a symbol of the homosexual community.
This strong support was not the first since he had also had (and was going to have) the livery of his helmet modified, on certain occasions, notably in the Middle East, joined in this by Lewis Hamilton at the end of 2021.
While some of the fans and observers are calling for a boycott of events run in regimes where human rights are violated or not guaranteed, the four-time world champion believes, on the contrary, that Formula 1 would be making a mistake in diverting from these countries. He rather thinks that the discipline constitutes an interesting platform to offer visibility to these questions, and thus to participate in the change.
Speaking in an exclusive interview for the magazine Attitudewhich he covers for the July/August issue, Vettel said: “Formula 1 will race in 23 countries this year. [22 en réalité après l’annulation du GP de Russie, ndlr]. When it comes to LGBTQ rights, some countries we visit are tougher than others.”
“We might refuse to run there, but what happens then? If we don’t run, there is nothing we can do to change things. But by running in these countries and defending politely, but firmly, which is importantly, we can have a positive impact. Values and principles cannot stop at borders.”
Sebastian Vettel on the 2021 Hungarian GP grid
Reflecting on why he was so outspokenly critical of Hungary’s actions last year, he said: “I did this because I wanted to show that I didn’t, and wouldn’t, approve of the anti-LGBTQ legislation that had recently been passed.”
“I didn’t do it to be popular, but if LGBTQ people who had been upset by this legislation were encouraged to see that I was once morest it, that’s obviously nice to know. And maybe more of F1 fans have started thinking regarding diversity and inclusion thanks to the actions of some of us – and if so, I’m glad I’m happy and honored to be your straight ally!”
Vettel believes opinion in F1 has shifted in recent years and that where once a gay driver might have been afraid to come out, he says he would now be accepted. “Perhaps it wouldn’t have been the case in the past, but now I think a gay F1 driver would be welcomed – and rightly so. I think a gay driver would help speed up the elimination prejudice and push our sport in a better direction, so I think and hope that our sport would be ready for one.”
In the history of F1, only two main examples stand out when it comes to homosexuality: Mike Beuttler and Lella Lombardi. The former was not openly gay, and sometimes brought him into the paddock, according to former Autosport journalist Ian Philips, a “girlfriend” to do “diversion” ; the second was in a relationship with his partner, Fiorenza, throughout his career and until his death.
For Vettel, in any case, campaigns such as “We Race As One”, launched by F1 in 2020 once morest the backdrop of social movements in the United States, must be followed by action and not stay behind. the state of slogans. “The situation is improving, we now see some engineers and mechanics who feel able to be more open.
“But there is still a lot to be done to improve diversity and inclusion in motorsport, not only in terms of sexuality, but also in supporting and encouraging women, people of color, people with disabilities, etc. F1 has started a movement called ‘We Race as One’, which is a good thing, but we all need to make a concerted effort to ensure that this movement results in positive change.”
Sebastian Vettel on the cover of Attitude magazine
