Nico Hülkenberg, Oscar Piastri, and Fernando Alonso have expressed their support for Ralf Schumacher, the former Formula 1 driver who recently came out as gay. The current F1 grid drivers congratulate the German on his courageous decision.
Last week, Ralf Schumacher publicly acknowledged his same-sex relationship for the first time. The six-time Grand Prix winner did this by sharing a photo of himself and his partner on Instagram. Schumacher received many positive responses, but also some negative ones. Hülkenberg fears that this negativity, especially in the online world, will not disappear quickly.
“It’s a very personal matter. I congratulate him, and you know that if he comes out with it, there’s nothing wrong with it,” said Hülkenberg during the press conference in Hungary. “We live in a modern time with diversity, but also adversity. There will always be hate in the world, especially online. That’s a place where people can easily abuse and where they can hide. That’s not great.”
Piastri and Alonso Congratulate Schumacher
Oscar Piastri expressed his admiration for the former Formula 1 driver’s decision to come out. “I think it’s fantastic that he feels comfortable enough to come out. I believe that’s what we want as a sport, to be inclusive for everyone and for people to feel safe to come out. Congratulations to him, and I think it’s a good thing,” said the McLaren driver.
Fernando Alonso fully agrees with his younger colleague. “Same comment. Congratulations to him. He gets total support from my side and I’m sure from the entire F1 community as well. It’s great that he feels good and we all feel very happy for him,” the Spaniard concluded.
‘We Can Always Do More’
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton also congratulates Schumacher on his decision, although he believes that Formula 1 can do much more to ensure inclusivity. “It’s clear that Schumacher didn’t feel comfortable sharing this in the past,” Hamilton told BBC Sport. “But it also shows that we finally live in a time where we can take that step and not be afraid. And hopefully, he has only received positive feedback within Formula 1 so far.”
According to Hamilton, the sport plays a crucial role in further pursuing equality. “It’s one thing to say it’s inclusive, and another to actually make sure people feel comfortable in this environment,” the Mercedes driver explained. “As far as I know, he is one of the first to dare to speak out publicly. The sport must continue to ensure that people feel more comfortable.”
