3166 replies to this topic

[IrvTheSwerve]

I think that the gesture has probably reached its shelf life now (and probably had a while ago truth be told), it's become about the act rather than the cause. It'll be stopping in most sports soon, I'd have thought.

 

Quite happy for F1 to continue with the 'we race as one' message going forward though. We need to continue with initiatives that actually do something - taking the knee has lost its meaning, in my opinion.

[Pete_f1]

'We race as one' does something?

[TheFish]

'We race as one' does something?

I liked it. Gave drivers the opportunity to make a statement. Lewis obviously the most famous of those delivering a message but Seb's were also great.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Good that they are done with that kneeling nonsense. I would like to see how much racism has improved just by F1 drivers kneeling and the drama queen using all sorts of politic t shirts before start of the races.

 

Well you'll never fix anything if you think people bringing it up are Drama Queens.

 

https://www.independ...010095.html?amp

 

The allocated pre-race slot has been dropped for this year.

 

But we're still going to lineup in formation to salute the host nation, right?

[jjcale]

Good move by Stefano. 

 

End the ceremony and do something tangible (away from the spotlight) for real people .... very sensible. 

 

Even if you liked the ceremony, you have to agree that its time to move past the "raising awareness" phase... on to the concrete actions phase. 

[PayasYouRace]

https://www.independ...010095.html?amp

The allocated pre-race slot has been dropped for this year.

 

I think it's a good time to be dropping it as they're actually replacing it with some meaningful action behind the scenes.

 

Gestures are good for getting people's attention and making things happen, but after a while they become meaningless and they just get paid lip service.

[pdac]

I think it's a good time to be dropping it as they're actually replacing it with some meaningful action behind the scenes.

 

Gestures are good for getting people's attention and making things happen, but after a while they become meaningless and they just get paid lip service.

 

I think the things happening behind the scene will gradually become meaningless and just token efforts paying lip service to the issues. It's not movements or initiatives that effect change, it's individuals. Sadly, it often means those individuals have to devote the rest of their lives to their cause (change never happens fast once it's ingrained).

[jjcale]

I think the things happening behind the scene will gradually become meaningless and just token efforts paying lip service to the issues. It's not movements or initiatives that effect change, it's individuals. Sadly, it often means those individuals have to devote the rest of their lives to their cause (change never happens fast once it's ingrained).

 

Maybe, or maybe not ... we have to wait and see. 

 

But its not charity that is going to make change ... black people have to want to do it and LH has given a great example to be followed. That is the individual making change that you referenced - even if you might not have meant it that way.... I watched F1 for years and never saw a black face - and never even dreamed of a black driver ... and then one came along  ... and look who it was!

 

Others will now know that it is possible - and it will be up to them whether they want to do it or not. To be engineers, fabricators, mechanics, strategists, marshalls or drivers.... f1 is there if you want it. 

 

But ultimately, its down to individual black people to decide if they want to do it - and then do what is necessary to get there. The charity is helpful, and welcomed - but dont think that is going to be the biggest factor.  

 

Every field that you see black people in today where they are doing well in it, at some point in the past they were literally barred from being a part of it (I am talking about in the major western countries now)  ... and then some decided that they wanted to be a part of it ... so they did it - and it wasnt easy - but they did it anyway ... because they wanted to do it. Not because someone set up a commission or whatever..... as the Jeffersons theme song said "it took a whole of t-trying, just to get up that hill.." ... a lot of "trying", not a lot of "help". (... but dont get me wrong, I am not against "help" - its not a bad thing, just get the order of priority right).  

 

LH has given a great example ... we now have to see how many will want to follow it... in different aspects of F1 and motorsport.... that is how change really works. 

[Pete_f1]

As long as those black drivers get the support Hamilton did (and are good drivers) they should do alright.

[AlexPrime]

I think that under the new FIA President we'll see more diverse participants in motorsport in general.

[Red5ive]

Good move by the Fia - yes it is action not empty virtue signalling that counts (plus an increasing embarassment for F1 with more of the grid not kneeling anyway as the season went on)

 

However dont speak to soon...I note that some F1 media (particularly SKY) are targetting certain drivers at the car launches and prompting them to suggest its the wrong decision - Vettel of course but also Norris recently and we have the Lord Hami still to weigh in at the Merc launch.  

[CoolBreeze]

 

Well you'll never fix anything if you think people bringing it up are Drama Queens.

 

 

 

Like i said, is there any difference? 

[Ross Stonefeld]

So, what, racism doesn't exist? Or stopped when they abolished slavery? Or Obama became President? What exactly is your point to discredit Lewis? 

[Ruusperi]

It's obvious that even in the year 1002022 (if humans still exist), there will be racism. Just like a certain percentage of newborn babies are statically guaranteed to become narcissistic and psychopathic adults, there will always be a subgroup of people who show racist behavior. It's just an unfortunate side-effect of having 8 billion people with different brain configurations.

 

I'm not saying that one cannot campaign against wrongdoings, but realistically speaking, how effective such campaigns are? Will the wrongdoers ever listen to these campaigners?  Unless you can alter inherent personality of a growing human, there will always be sadistic wife-beaters, anti-social murderers and pedophiles and low-IQed racists. It's impossible to prevent any of these people from being born with hashtag campaigns.

 

Of course a small community like F1 should have zero tolerance for misdeeds of any kind, but that won't prevent these sick individuals from continuing their crimes outside the community. Again, I'm not saying you should just accept crime and do nothing. We have law and order for that very reason. But having a belief you can "end racism" or "end violence" with some gestures during a sport match is utterly naive.

 

So, I think the world will stay pretty much the same whatever F1 decides to do or not.

[jjcale]

You shouldnt be so negative ... racism (in the west) has improved a lot over the years ... if you compare to even a few decades ago - its a lot better now..

 

I can see a time when it is in the past. 

 

Is We Race as One helping? ... Dunno .. but its not a misplaced idea that things improve over time and we can help to push positive change along. 

[Pete_f1]

The 'kick it out' campaign in English football has been going since about 1996 and that's not really worked...

[ANF]

The 'kick it out' campaign in English football has been going since about 1996 and that's not really worked...

I'm sure things would have been a lot worse without the campaign.