Lewis Hamilton has praised Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, saying he was “incredibly brave” for his response to racist abuse in Spain and said the incidents brought back painful memories of his racing career.
The Brazilian forward claimed that LaLiga and Spain are racist when he took to social media to complain about the abuse he faced from fans during a match in Valencia on Sunday. “It’s devastating to think that in 2023 we’re still seeing and hearing these things,” said seven-time world champion Hamilton, the sport’s only black driver, at the Monaco Grand Prix.
“It really hits me, it really gets emotional about the things I’ve been through, whether it’s in the UK or when I was racing in Italy or France or Spain. I think it was incredibly brave.”
“I think it’s amazing what a lot of those who are experimenting on the field are doing in terms of staying strong, staying strong, staying humble in their approach, not being reactive but being responsible when they step forward because they know there are so many young people watching.”
The Mercedes driver was made an honorary Brazilian citizen last year, with the country’s parliament highlighting his deep attachment to the country where he won his first title in 2008.
The Briton, who was Spanish teammate Fernando Alonso at McLaren in his rookie rookie season in 2007, also suffered racist abuse in Spain when testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona in 2008.
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