Lewis Hamilton has urged his fans to go vegan and said he feels like ‘giving up on everything’ due to his concerns about the environment.
The 34-year-old, who is on the verge of winning a sixth Formula One world title, made clear his feelings about the state of the world in three posts on Instagram yesterday.
Hamilton switched to a plant-based diet in 2017 and in September he helped launch a vegan burger restaurant in London. He reportedly also sold his red private jet earlier this year.
Lewis Hamilton made clear his feelings about the state of the world in three posts on Instagram yesterday. He is pictured on his private jet, which he has reportedly now sold
The Formula One driver, 34, uploaded a series of posts on Tuesday. In this one, he told his 13.1 million followers that he felt like ‘giving up on everything’
Hamilton – pictured racing in Japan – switched to a plant-based diet in 2017 and in September he helped launch a vegan burger restaurant in London
The posts sparked accusations of hypocrisy from some Twitter users, while others defended him
Hamilton wrote: ‘Go vegan, it is the only way to truly save our planet today. It can be done so quickly, all you have to do is put your mind to it.
‘Honestly I feel like giving up on everything. Shut down completely. Why bother when the world is such a mess and people don’t seem to care. I’m going to take a moment away to gather my thoughts. Thank you to those of you who do give a damn about the world.’
The racing driver started the series of posts by saying he was ‘sad right now with the thought of where this world is going’, before claiming humans were at risk of ‘extinction’.
Hamilton then suggested people had been ‘lied to’ about the value of eating meat and that cutting out animal products altogether was necessary to save the world.
He added: ‘I urge you to do some research, find the compassion I know you have within you to recognise what you are contributing to in terms of what you eat which keeps the meat and dairy industry flourishing and therefore deforestation, animal cruelty, our seas and climate decaying on a daily basis.’
The posts sparked accusations of hypocrisy from some Twitter users, with Alastair Russell writing: ‘Lewis Hamilton urging people to go vegan to save the planet as he drives a massive-engined race car around the world.’
‘Dave’ said: ‘It’s hard to be taken serious about the climate when your job is to race aimlessly around in circles in a gas guzzling land rocket. With an entourage replacing the plastic and rubber bits when you crash. And all flying around the world weekly.’
Another user commented: ‘Lewis Hamilton (laugh!) he who pollutes the planet probably 5 times more(?) than most with exhaust emissions.’
Meanwhile, other fans expressed their concern about his comments saying he ‘felt like giving up on everything’.
One wrote: ‘Please don’t give up on the world. There are people that care, whilst the world may seem c**p at times you have to look for the positives. I promise you there are some.’
Another fan typed: ‘I am so concerned about Lewis. Hope he is ok.’
Back in August, the racing driver unveiled his plans to open a new vegan burger restaurant chain, in a bid to reduce greenhouse emissions created by livestock.
He opened his first plant-based Neat Burger restaurant last month, which sells vegan burgers called ‘Neat’, ‘Cheese’ and ‘Chick’n’.
Livestock are a major driver of climate change – accounting for nearly 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions – while producing meat uses land and water less efficiently than crops, according to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
The racing driver previously spoke about his own decision to go vegan two years ago. He told the BBC: ‘ I stopped eating red meat two years ago, I have generally been pescatarian for the majority of the year and now I’ve cut fish.
‘As the human race, what we are doing to the world… the pollution [in terms of emissions of global-warming gases] coming from the amount of cows that are being produced is incredible.
‘They say it is more than what we produce with our flights and our cars, which is kind of crazy to think, the cruelty is horrible and I don’t necessarily want to support that and I want to live a healthier life.’
Hamilton was recently denied victory at the Japanese Grand Prix that survived the typhoon by a rare mistake by all-conquering Mercedes (pictured winner Valtteri Bottas)
It comes after Lewis was denied victory at the Japanese Grand Prix that survived the typhoon by a rare mistake by all-conquering Mercedes.
The race was instead won by Valtteri Bottas – a one-three finish that secured the constructors’ title for the Brackley-based outfit for a record sixth consecutive time.
And Lewis expects he will have to wait beyond Mexico, the next race on the calendar and one that could be a struggle for his Mercedes team, to secure his sixth Formula One world championship.
‘For me, it’s never been a case of always wanting to rush things,’ he said.
‘I think Mexico is generally our worst race of the year because of the way our car is set up and it’s going to be a tough one for us. The last few have been pretty shocking, even though we’ve won the title there.
‘I don’t anticipate it (the decider) will be Mexico. I think we will be battling for a good few races.’
The posts were later deleted.
Hamilton has previously spoken about his own decision to go vegan two years ago. He said: ‘ I stopped eating red meat, I want to live a healthier life’ (pictured last month)