Lewis Hamilton clarifies 'poor place' India remark after facing criticism

Sport360 staff 09:30 16/11/2018
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  • Lewis Hamilton.

    Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton was forced to issue a clarification about his comments regarding hosting F1 races in ‘poor place’ like India.

    Hamilton had earlier stated that he did not like the idea of hosting races in new countries after this month’s announcement of the Vietnam Grand Prix.

    “I’ve been to Vietnam before and it is beautiful. I’ve been to India before to a race which was strange because India was such a poor place yet we had this massive, beautiful grand prix track made in the middle of nowhere. I felt very conflicted when I went to that grand prix. We had a grand prix in Turkey and hardly anyone came.” Hamilton had said.

    His comments created a storm on social media and the Mercedes driver issued a statement, saying: “I noticed some people are upset with my comment on India. My reference was that a grand prix there felt strange to drive past homeless people, then arrive in a huge arena where money was not an issue.

    “They spent hundreds of millions on a track that was now never used and that money could have been spent on schools or homes. When we did have the race nobody came because it was too expensive or there was no interest.”

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