Vettel: A gay Formula 1 driver would be welcomed, and rightly so – Marca English
Formula 1 has difficulty marrying the fact they present themselves to be a tolerant and welcoming organisation, yet they still take races to countries in the world where homosexuality is a crime and punishable in the most severe manner.
Sebastian Vettel, as a driver and four-time world champion, has long stood up for the LGBTQ rights within F1, and has often been seen wearing rainbow clothing in the paddock in the build-up to races.
This weekend sees F1 travel to Azerbaijan to race and, whilst same-sex activity has been legal there since 2000, there are no laws which protect people against homophobic discrimination, and there is no recognition of same-sex marriage.
“Now I think a gay Formula 1 driver would be welcomed, and rightly so,” Vettel told Attitude magazine.
“I feel that a gay driver would help to speed up the elimination of prejudice and help push our sport in a better direction.
“Perhaps that wouldn’t have been the case in the past.”
Formula 1 has a huge following worldwide, and it has always been difficult for the organisers to appease everyone given the fact countries with wholly different views are still invited to invest into the sport.
“Formula 1 is a very popular sport around the world, it relates to something that a lot of people do every day on a basic level,” he continued.
“Even if they don’t drive themselves, they at least come across driving regularly.
“I regret to say that some members of the driving community are nonetheless very slow, static almost, when it comes to progress.”
Vettel has heard homophobia within F1
Vettel went on to describe how he had in the past heard homophobic slurs and discussions take place in the F1 paddock, especially when he was a much younger figure in the sport.
“I’ve not seen it directly, but indirectly I’ve heard people talking negatively about LGBTQ people and the LGBTQ community,” he declared.
“Whenever I heard those things, it always felt wrong, but today I’m more confident to speak up and shut them down.
“Homophobia is prejudice, and prejudice is wrong, it really is that simple.”