SILVERSTONE: Ferrari Formula One driver Charles Leclerc has hit out at people for calling him racist following his decision to not take a knee alongside fellow racers before Grand Prix races.
Drivers have been given the option to kneel before races this season as part of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement and Leclerc was part of the seven who chose against doing so in the last race in Silverstone. Leclerc, however, stated that not taking a knee doesn't mean a person is racist.
"I very sad to see how some people manipulate my words to make headlines making me sound like a racist. I am not racist and I absolutely hate racism. Racism is disgusting," Leclerc wrote on his Twitter handle.
"Stop putting me in the same group as these disgusting people that are discriminating others because of their skin colour, religion or gender. I'm not part of them and I never will. I've always been respectful to everyone and that should be the standard in today's world." IANS