Vettel hopes that Formula 1 would be ready to welcome an openly gay driver
Sebastian Vettel, committed to the LGBTQ+ community, believes that Formula 1 has become open enough to welcome an openly gay driver. For him, the sport must break free from its stereotypes and embrace diversity.
On the occasion of Pride Month, Sebastian Vettel reiterated his support for the LGBTQ+ community. The German driver believes that the sport has evolved enough for an openly gay driver to be well received by the Formula 1 audience.
« Maybe it wouldn’t have been the case in the past, but today, I believe that a gay Formula 1 driver would be well-received, and rightfully so », stated Vettel in an interview for LGBTQ magazine Attitude.
I think that having a gay driver would contribute to accelerating the elimination of prejudices and pushing our sport in a better direction. So, I think and hope that our sport would be ready to welcome one.
For him, the situation of a gay driver is comparable to that of a football player and to the old image of a player or a driver as a ‘hero’ who must meet a certain number of criteria.
« But the judgment criteria are simply false. How are these stereotypes in any way related to performance? Who should decide? It takes a lot of courage to show your true self instead of hiding behind a facade based on what people expect. » concludes the four-time world champion.
Last year during the Hungarian Grand Prix, Vettel publicly supported the LGBT community by wearing a rainbow-colored T-shirt with the words “Same Love”. This support was in response to anti-LGBTQ measures taken by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The German driver also wore a special helmet on this occasion to demonstrate his unwavering support.
This season, Vettel will be less alone in his fight as Mercedes has announced its support for Pride Month. The German team has modified its iconic logo to display the colors of the rainbow for the next three Grand Prix.
