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Sebastian Vettel appeared on a British talk show late Thursday night to discuss several issues, including climate change, the global energy crisis, and LGBTQ+ issues.
Among a panel that included celebrities and politicians, Vettel’s honest and earnest answers to the issues have earned him praise on social media. Some even went on to claim that he would make a better people’s representative than most politicians.
Reacting to Vettel’s appearance on BBC’s Question time, one fan on Twitter wrote:
“That Sebastian Vettel spoke with more honesty and integrity than the two politicians combined is an absolutely damning indictment of our political system at the moment.”
Meanwhile, others praised the German’s honesty and humility in his perspective on several of the issues he was advocating for. A user on Twitter said:
“It is a delight to see Sebastian Vettel come into his own as such a wonderful voice for change. I have criticisms of some of his takes, but the important thing is that he’s a quick study and he’s humble. He and Lewis are among the most important voices in sports, period.”
During the show, Sebastian Vettel conceded that competing in a globetrotting, “gas-guzzling” sport such as F1 was directly in conflict with some of the issues he was advocating for. Nevertheless, he defended the sport, saying it played a positive role in the world. Expressing his passion for F1, he talked about its merits, saying:
“We were entertaining people during Covid. We were one of the first ones to start again, when everybody’s heads were about to explode. I’m not saying F1 has this huge position in the world to deliver entertainment. There’s plenty of people; a lot of people who couldn’t perform, and a lot of people missed that.”
Fans come to Sebastian Vettel’s aid in defending F1
Some fans felt Vettel could have countered the argument against F1 by pointing out the sport’s goal to become fully sustainable and carbon neutral by the end of this decade. They also wanted the German to speak on the sport’s contribution to the advancement of hybrid and electric mobility technology. On Twitter, veteran F1 analyst Mark Gallagher wrote:
“Seb Vettel acquitted himself so very well on #BBCQT Not at easy environment to step into. Slightly wish he’d countered Fiona Bruce’s ‘gas guzzling’ comment by pointing out F1 is dropping fossil fuels in less than 4 years. Or explained how the MGU-K / H works.”
Despite F1’s commitments to become a sustainable sport, its current impact on the environment remains high. The sport’s bosses have been criticized for not doing more by several people, including Sebastian Vettel.
Urging the sport to concentrate on “little things that add up”, Vettel called for the adoption of more environmentally friendly practices during Grand Prix weekends.
