Lewis Hamilton has hit out at former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, warning that his reward for Vladimir Putin will “put us again many years”.
The racing driver urged broadcasters to shun the 91-year-old and stated that somebody who supported “killing” individuals shouldn’t be given a platform.
Interviewed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday, Mr Ecclestone described the Russian president as a “first-class individual” and appeared to downplay his invasion of Ukraine.
“What he’s doing is one thing that he believed was the proper factor he was doing for Russia,” he stated.
I’d nonetheless take a bullet for him. I’d somewhat it didn’t damage, but when it does I’d nonetheless take a bullet, as a result of he’s a first-class individual
Bernie Ecclestone
“Sadly, he’s like lots of enterprise individuals, definitely like me, we make errors infrequently.
“I’d nonetheless take a bullet for him. I’d somewhat it didn’t damage, but when it does I’d nonetheless take a bullet, as a result of he’s a first-class individual.”
Mr Ecclestone added that the warfare might have been averted if Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, made “a sufficiently big effort” to talk to Mr Putin.
Hamilton, a seven-time Method 1 world champion, argued that Mr Ecclestone was an “older voice” who not represented the game.
“We don’t want any extra of it, to listen to from somebody that believes within the warfare, and the displacement of individuals and killing of individuals, and supporting that individual (Putin) is past me,” he stated.
“I can’t imagine I heard that. That is going to place us again many years, and we now have but to see the true brunt of the ache.
If you happen to don’t have something optimistic to contribute, don’t give them any area
Lewis Hamilton
“Why? We don’t must be supporting that however trying into the longer term.
“If you happen to don’t have something optimistic to contribute, don’t give them any area.”
F1 additionally moved to distance itself from the remarks of its former boss, who dominated the game for 4 many years till departing in 2017.
A spokesperson stated: “The feedback made by Bernie Ecclestone are his private views and are in very stark distinction to the place of the trendy values of our sport.”
Mr Ecclestone later doubled down on his criticisms of President Zelensky in a TalkTV interview, arguing that he ought to have surrendered to keep away from a warfare.
“I’d have discovered a really dignified means to try this as a result of that’s most likely what must occur anyway,” he stated.
“He’s on the lookout for a little bit of publicity, no one had ever heard of him earlier than.
“Now he’s speaking to the press and the US and everyone else… when it’s being televised and broadcast worldwide.”
The billionaire additionally appeared to endorse Mr Putin’s claims to Ukraine, repeatedly claiming that Ukrainians have been “all Russian individuals”.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
