formula 1
“Already seen a lot of hypocrisy” – Sebastian Vettel protests for environmental protection and upsets the minister
Came into the paddock with a bike and a message on his shirt: Sebastian Vettel before the Montreal race.
© Imago Images
Oops! Before the Formula 1 race in Montreal, Sebastian Vettel wanted to send a message for more environmental protection in Canada. However, this was not well received by everyone – the responsible minister now reacted sharply.
With a message about tar sand mining in Canada, Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel apparently hit a nerve in Canadian politics. Vettel came to the paddock in Montreal this week with a shirt that said “Stop tar sand mining – Canada’s climate crime”.
Canada has long extracted some of its petroleum from a mixture of clay and sand relatively close to the surface. To get there, Canada’s primeval forests are cleared and the topsoil removed. Only then can the mixture of sand, clay and tar-like oil be lifted out of the ground.
Sebastian Vettel: “Horror for nature”
In the official press conference before the race, Vettel had upped the ante again. What is happening in Alberta is a crime: “It’s a horror for nature. Something like that shouldn’t be allowed.”
“Stop tar sand mining – Canada’s climate crime” – this imprint upsets Alberta’s environment minister.
© Imago Images
Words that now call the environment minister of the affected state to the scene: “I’ve seen a lot of hypocrisy over the years, but this is the crowning glory,” wrote Alberta’s energy minister Sonya Savage on Twitter for an article with Vettel’s statements before the big one Price of Canada.
Politician: “Pedal cars for Formula 1”
“A racing driver from Aston Martin, financed by Saudi Aramco, complains about oil sands,” wrote the politician, alluding to the main sponsor of the racing team. Aramco is considered the largest oil production company in the world, the company comes from Saudi Arabia.
She also suggested that people like Sebastian Vettel should reduce their own carbon footprint. “Maybe with pedal cars for Formula 1?” Wrote the politician.
Vettel is very conscious of his actions as a racing driver. “What I do is not very environmentally conscious and not sustainable, so I’m not a role model in that regard – and I can’t possibly be one,” he once said in an RTL interview. Nevertheless, he is considered to be environmentally conscious. Among other things, he travels to some races in Europe by train, and he comes to the paddock in Melbourne by bike.
Vettel has also already criticized his sponsor: According to Vettel, it is obvious “that the oil companies as a whole must ask themselves how they want and must shape the future. I think this can be an opportunity, hopefully to exert a little influence to make things a little bit better.”