HAMILTON WANTS INTERLAGOS, NOT DEAD TREES

Lewis Hamilton has spoken out against the deforestation of an area of Rio de Janeiro to build a new Formula 1 track.

F1 is planning for the venue to replace the historic Interlagos facility as the home of the Brazilian Grand Prix, and the project has the support of environmentalist-enraging populist ultra-right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro. The construction of the new track at Deodoro, a disused military base, would involve the felling of 70,000 trees, resulting in mounting public opposition to the proposal.

Hamilton has been vocal in recent years about the importance of environmentalism. “My personal opinion is that the world doesn’t need a new circuit,” he said. “I heard that it’s potentially going to be sustainable. But the most sustainable thing you can do is not tear down any trees, particularly in a time where we’re fighting a pandemic, and there continues to be a global crisis around the world. With deforestation and everything, I don’t think it’s a smart move. It’s not something I personally support.”

Race promoter Rio Motorsports said in a statement: “The felling of these 70,000 trees will be compensated by planting another 700,000 trees, part of them within the land itself, which will make the area with vegetation larger than it is today.”