Jul.14 (GMM) It is a “personal choice” whether drivers want to kneel or stand amid the new wave of racial politics that is sweeping through Formula 1, according to Daniil Kvyat.
For the second consecutive Sunday, only a minority of the drivers refused to join the Lewis Hamilton-led gesture in support of Black Lives Matter in Austria.
“I already expressed my position last week,” Kvyat, who was one of the dissenting drivers, told Russia-1 television.
“All of the drivers are united in the fight against racism,” said the Russian, who joined all of his rivals in wearing black ‘End Racism’ t-shirts.
“But I am against kneeling. It’s against the Russian mentality,” Kvyat added. “We don’t kneel just like that, there must always be a very good reason.”
The intrusion of politics into Formula 1 has visibly divided the drivers, but Kvyat insists that gestures of that nature are a “personal choice”.
“Nobody pushes anyone to do anything. Every driver, every employee in Formula 1 does what he sees fit,” said the Alpha Tauri driver. “I think there’s no drama in all of this.
“For some people, kneeling is fine, but I want to express my position in a different way, like some other colleagues. We are all calm, everyone is concentrated before the race, there are no serious disagreements.
“We all fight against racism, but everyone does it in their way,” Kvyat said.
October 25, 2020 C.O.T.A.
Guests of Grand Prix Tours will be treated to a complete and thorough race weekend that includes an invitation to our private F1 Celebrity Hosted Talk Show. During the event guests will receive insider information regarding all things Formula 1 and firsthand perspective into team preparations leading up to the race. Follow the link above to learn more about our trip to the United States Grand Prix.
September 20, 2020 Marina Bay
Join Grand Prix Tours as we head to Singapore and the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the only true night race on the Formula 1 calendar. One of only 4 street circuits on the F1 calendar the beauty of the modern Formula 1 cars are on full display under the bright lights of the Marina Bay street circuit. Follow the link above to learn more about our trip to the Singapore Grand Prix.
November 1, 2020 Mexico City
The Mexican Grand Prix is always a great test for Formula 1 drivers and teams alike. With extreme heat and the high elevation drivers have to be physically prepared and mechanics have to be mentally ready for anything. The atmosphere created by the fans at the Mexican Grand Prix rivals that of races like Japan and Italy. The passion and pride for local drivers is nearly unmatched.