Vettel reveals why he and Hamilton are 'taking a stand' on global issues

Sebastian Vettel believes the onus is on himself and Lewis Hamilton "to take a stand" on societal issues now they are two of F1's elder statesmen.

Hamilton has shone a spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement over the past 16 months, while also pushing for an increase in the number of Black people working in motorsports through his eponymous Commission.

Aston Martin driver Vettel, meanwhile, has educated himself and aired his concerns on environmental issues, as well as LGBTQ+ matters.

“Times have changed and we cannot duck anymore,” said Vettel, speaking to The New York Times. “We cannot hide anymore behind the curtain of performance and professional interest.

“It cannot just be about how many points you collect, how many races you win. There are certain things in all our lives that are bigger than that and more important, and we have to take a stand."

So far this year, Vettel helped pupils in Spielberg, Austria, construct a bee hotel in the shape of an F1 car; collected litter from the stands at Silverstone following the British Grand Prix, after which he visited a waste-management centre in England.

Before the Italian GP, the four-time champion also Vettel visited Iceland to review the Climeworks Orca plant, which captures carbon dioxide from the air.

“For me, the priority is that whatever I choose to look at or do, it actually makes a difference,” said Vettel.

“Even if it’s tiny, but it makes a difference. I believe in change by acting, not just by stating good things, and it’s much more important we act now.

“I appreciate not everybody has the possibility to change their lives because certain things come with certain costs, whether it’s time or money, but we all have our responsibilities, thinking what we can do and then applying change, even if it’s the smallest change.”

Not for the first time, Vettel feels F1 should be playing a greater leading role, despite its stated targets of reusing, recycling or composting all waste from races by 2025, while five years later having a net-zero carbon footprint.

“If you look at the bigger picture, there’s a certain responsibility we have as Formula 1 when we go to different places in the world and we set up these huge events which bring massive excitement,” added Vettel.

“We cannot just go there, do our show, and then leave everything else behind. To ensure that nothing is left behind, we need to be ready to take a little bit of our margin off and invest into those things because they do come at a cost.”

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