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“You shouldn’t be a fake person to be an ambassador of F1”- Max Verstappen explains why he does not follow in Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel’s footsteps

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"You shouldn't be a fake person to be an ambassador of F1"- Max Verstappen explains why he does not follow in Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel's footsteps

Unlike Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen prefers to distance himself from matters that aren’t related to F1. 

Vettel and Hamilton have been outspoken about various issues that plague society over the last few years. Human rights, LGBTQ+ rights, diversity and climate concerns are some of the things the two legendary drivers want addressed.

Verstappen, who is on his own path towards greatness right now does not want to get involved in these matters. The 2021 World Champion wants to focus solely on performance, and not on social issues that won’t help his driving.

The Dutchman does not consider these issues unimportant, but he does not want his racing career to be a platform from where he can address them. However, he does accept the fact that what Vettel does is good and admits that having different characters on the grid helps.

Of course, I’m in a different stage of my career,” he said to GP racing. “And of course, when Seb feels really strong about things, he should say it. Which he does. That’s also great, because you have really different characters in Formula 1. Because that makes F1 special.”

Also read: “There were a lot of things I wasn’t aware of”- Sebastian Vettel reveals his luxurious lifestyle that he gave up for environment’s sake

Max Verstappen prefers speaking his mind than being fake

Verstappen has always been blunt towards questions that people throw at him. He is not afraid of speaking his mind out, which can often be seen when he speaks to his race engineer during a Grand Prix.

This is why the 24-year old feels that he should stay away from social causes whilst in F1. He does not want to be someone fake, just for the sake of being an ambassador of F1.

“I think, it should always be from yourself, like how you are,” he added. You shouldn’t be a fake person, trying to just be the ambassador for Formula 1.

“You should always speak your mind. Of course, you need to be a little careful. But in general, just be yourself. And I think then you’re already naturally a kind of ambassador anyway.”

Verstappen is currently 38 points ahead of Charles Leclerc in the 2022 F1 standings. If the Red Bull driver can keep up with his good form, he’s on course to winning a second consecutive World Championship.

Also read: “I could give Lewis a run for the money” – When Max Verstappen almost applied for Mercedes

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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