Hamilton delivers powerful statement after Schumacher announcement

Lewis Hamilton has described Ralf Schumacher's decision to come out as 'positive', simultaneously stressing that F1 and society as a whole need to do more to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Ralf, younger brother of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher spent a decade driving in F1, winning six grands prix before retiring in 2007.

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Recently, the 49 year-old shared a heartwarming post on Instagram revealing his same sex-relationship with partner Etienne.

Alongside a picture of the happy couple looking into the sunset, the former driver posted, "The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything."

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Are there LGBT F1 drivers?

Schumacher is only the fourth driver to come out since the championship began in 1950, and the first since former driver Mario de Araujo Cabral came out as bisexual in 2009.

Hamilton, a leading advocate for improving diversity in motorsport, was vocal in his support of Schumacher's announcement.

The Mercedes driver said: "Clearly he has not felt comfortable being able to say it in the past. It is definitely not a new thing."

"But it shows that we are in a time finally when we can take that step and don't have to fear. And hopefully he will be able to say that he's, I think, so far had only positive feedback from people [in F1] and that's because of the time we're living in and the changes."

The Brit has not been alone in his support, with the wider F1 community also praising Schumacher's recent announcement.

McLaren's Lando Norris welcomed Ralf's news as "a good thing" whilst former world-champion Fernando Alonso believes the German pundit will have "total support" from everyone in the F1 community.

Reports also suggest the support for Schumacher has been going on long before the retired driver publicly came out, with BBC sport suggesting that the German's sexuality was known to those inside the F1 paddock but his privacy was respected.

READ MORE: Schumacher family statement released after Ralf gay relationship reaction

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