Hamilton makes clear statement: 'I’ve been incredibly proud'

Sebastian Vettel, like Lewis Hamilton, is increasingly involved in issues outside of Formula 1. The German spoke out several times about the climate. After the Grand Prix at Silverstone he went to clean up litter to set a good example.

It creates a lot of respect with Hamilton. His fellow driver has been naming the problem around climate change for years and sees that Vettel is also thinking about the environment. "I’ve been incredibly proud of Sebastian for discovering things he is passionate about and he is speaking about them; he’s not shying away from it," the Briton explained in an interview with The New York Times.

Hamilton, however, can easily explain Vettel's behavior. "With the older generation, I guess when we get to our age we have a little bit more empathy. He’s got a family, he’s speaking about the future of his kids and the planet, what we do now to prepare them for the future. He’s obviously trying to be a beacon of light for those kids and for other kids that support him."

Vettel notes in the same interview that his generation can no longer look away from the major impacts of climate change. He therefore calls on people to take a stand and think about the next generation.