GENERAL

Hamilton shows support for openly gay Ralf Schumacher


Lewis Hamilton this weekend said he’s glad that an openly gay Ralf Schumacher has ‘changed his mind’ about coming out. And he encourages more drivers in the same position to do likewise. Back in 2021, multiple world champions Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel took a stand against the Hungarian government at the same Grand Prix.

Vettel, now retired from F1, declared he would be ‘happy if they disqualify me’ for wearing a T-shirt saying ‘Same Love’ during the national anthem ceremony in 2021. At the same time, Hamilton made similar public gestures and hugged Vettel as a show of solidarity for the cause.

OPENLY GAY RALF SCHUMACHER

Ralf Schumacher is an F1 pundit on Sky Germany and has received nothing but support since his announcement. Image: File

At the time, a not openly gay Ralf Schumacher was critical of the seemingly growing trend of mixing sport with politics. In fact, he hit out at the way Hamilton in particular, “… always has to do this in a Mercedes suit and on the racetracks. His values are very important, but he can represent them on Instagram and any other social networks,” said Schumacher in 2021.

But now, between the British and Hungarian races, the six-time Grand Prix winner has ‘come out’ for the first time as openly gay in his own social media. In so doing, he drew widespread praise for no longer hiding his same-sex relationship with French partner Etienne.

‘IT STARTED WITH SEB AND I’

openly gay Ralf Schumacher
Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel at the 2021 Hungarian GP. Image: Planet F1

“It shows that we are finally living in a time when you can take this step,” said seven-time World Champion Hamilton at the 2024 Hungarian GP. “It all started when Seb and I. We were here on the grid, fighting against what the government is doing here. Ralf thought it was not a good idea to do that at the time. Maybe he has changed his mind now. The fact that an openly gay Ralf Schumacher is now taking this step is a positive signal. It would encourage others to follow his example,” said the 39-year-old Briton.

Schumacher’s partner is Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne, a former French politician in a party with a ‘very right wing agenda’, according to reports. His former party, Rassemblement National, is headed by the highly controversial Marine Le Pen, and has actively campaigned against ‘LGBT propaganda’ and ‘gender ideology’ for years. – with GMM

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE F1 DRIVERS ‘COMING OUT’?

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