Sebastian Vettel joins Lewis Hamilton in calling for F1 to resolve confusing anti-racism message

Ferrari driver is one of the Grand Prix Drivers Association directors and believes more comunication is needed ahead of the British Grand Prix to ensure the sport is sending the right message

Sebastian Vettel has echoed calls from Lewis Hamilton for Formula One to resolve its confusing anti-racism message after last weekend saw drivers rushed into the gesture.

Hamilton took aim at a number of individuals following the Hungarian Grand Prix, which saw several drivers again take a knee in support of fighting racism, though others chose to remain standing while wearing T-shirts that read ‘End Racism’ on the front.

But for the second race running, several drivers missed the gesture as they were yet to make their way off the grid to the parc ferme area, while Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi forgot to put his T-shirt on.

Hamilton criticised F1 and the FIA for the lack of organisation around the pre-race gesture and called on the sport to do significantly more to send the right message, with the Mercedes driver admitting that he would email officials this week to try and improve the process of how the sport was delivering it’s #WeRaceAsOne message.

Hamilton also criticised Haas F1 driver Romain Grosjean for not caring enough about their anti-racism message, with Grosjean one of three directors responsible for running the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association that decided on drivers taking the knee, alongside Vettel and former F1 driver Alexander Wurz.

Having seen Hamilton hit out at the circumstances that produced a confusing message on Sunday, Vettel agreed that something more has to be done.

"What you see is what the situation is," Vettel said. "(On Sunday there) was very, very little time, everything was a bit rushed. I think drivers were just about to arrive.

"(There was time) to do whatever every driver individually decided to do, but in the end, they were starting (the national anthem).

"I think going forward, it's probably true that we need to talk amongst ourselves a bit better, so hopefully we can sort it out."

Drivers hold their own briefing among the GPDA every Friday before the race weekend, where Vettel and Grosjean take the lead in deciding any issues that the grid has heading into the weekend.

Formula One's anti-racism message has looked confused before races (Getty)

Hamilton revealed after the Hungarian Grand Prix that he had taken umbrage with Grosjean after he claimed that they no longer needed to take a knee as they had already done it once, with the six-time world champion determined to keep fighting for racial equality in the sport.

"We are all members of the GPDA and the GPDA is run by three people - two who are really supportive, and one who tends to think it is not important to continue with,” Hamilton said.

"I don't think it's being taken seriously. There are perhaps people who have not grown up around racism so don't understand it and because of that it doesn't affect them.

"I have heard people say 'it doesn't do anything for me so why should I do it?' But it's not about me and you, it's about this fight for the people out there who are experiencing discrimination."

Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Kimi Raikkonen and Carlos Sainz elected to stand for the third race in a row while others took a knee, though Sergio Perez and Alex Albon also appeared to reverse their past decisions to take a knee and remain standing.

As well as Hamilton and Vettel, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Nicholas Latifi, Lando Norris, Valtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll, Daniel Ricciardo and George Russell took a knee, while Daniil Kvyat, Kevin Magnussen, Grosjean and Giovinazzi were late in arriving and missed the gesture.