Formula 1
Bernie Ecclestone attempted to respond to Lewis Hamilton after statements that shocked the paddock. Not sure that his words calm the controversy.
Bernie Ecclestone wanted to clarify his position vis-à-vis racism following a controversial media outlet.
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The controversy began following comments by Bernie Ecclestone (89) on an alleged anti-white racism that shocked the paddock. “Black people are more racist than white,” said former F1 boss, asked to respond to comments by world champion Lewis Hamilton on the Black Lives Matter movement (“F1 is a white-dominated sport “).
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“I am not against blacks”
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F1 has dissociated itself from the words of its former boss, while Lewis Hamilton has strongly criticized these comments. The British pilot, very involved in the Black Lives Matter movement had written on Instagram to be “so sad and disappointed to read these comments”, then added that “Bernie is out of this sport, another generation, but it is exactly what’s wrong. “
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“Fashionable to talk about diversity”
Bernie Ecclestone therefore attempted to put out the fire. But the former boss of F1 is obviously not very good when it comes to form. “I am not against black people. It’s quite the opposite. I have always been very supportive of them, the British businessman told the Daily Mail on Sunday. In fact, Lewis’ father wanted to do business with me. […] I wouldn’t have even thought about it if I had been anti-black. If the project had been good, I would have done it. ” He then tried to discredit the protests against police brutality, and said that it is “suddenly fashionable to speak of diversity”.
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Or again: “Over the years, I have met many whites whom I did not like, but never a black who I did not like”. As if to justify not being racist, Ecclestone illustrated his remarks by explaining that he had never hated a person of color, including the three individuals who pointed and attacked him in the past. “If a black person or a white person is rejected for a job, you have to ask yourself why. Was it because of the color of their skin, or was it because they were not up to par? ” he dropped again.
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Voices were raised asking Formula 1 to ban Bernie Ecclestone from the circuits when the world championship resumes on July 5 in Austria.
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