Grenfell Tower’s victims’ families have criticised Lewis Hamilton for failing to call out Mercedes because of a sponsorship deal with the company.
Family members of victims criticised the F1 driver’s decision to isolate himself from Kingspan’s partnership rather than speak out.
He was accused of accepting ‘blood money,’ according to them.
Last night Hamilton tried to detach himself from the fury, saying the deal ‘is really nothing to do with me’.
He drove his car with Kingspan’s logo on it during the win at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Grand Prix.
The move came one year after the 36-year old posed for a photo on a march bearing a placard stating that he was doing it “for all people in Grenfell Tower”.
Family members criticized the F1 driver’s decision to keep his distance from Kingspan and not speak up on the other subjects.
He was accused of accepting ‘blood money in a sickening and distasteful’ contract with an insulation company. Pictured: 2017 fire
Hamilton was initially reluctant to answer questions regarding the matter during a press conference that took place before the race in Jeddah.
One man, who who lost six relatives in the Grenfell Tower fire, blasted Hamilton for taking ‘blood money’.
Nabil Choucair (47), said that Mercedes’ sponsorship agreement with Kingspan, a building material firm, was “sickening” and “disgusting”.
He declared that the situation regarding F1 sponsorship by Kingspan was both disgusting and sickening.
“Lewis Hamilton cannot deny that it’s his part in this. He drives it, it’s his car and he can ask to have it removed.
“He can choose to tell the world whether he supports Kingspan or Grenfell.” He ought to stay as far from blood money and corruption as possible.
Emma O’Connor 32 years old, who was able to flee from Grenfell’s twenty-floor, made a comparison between his loud criticism of Saudi and his relative silence about Kingspan.
“He says that Saudis do not have any human rights. He’s fighting to protect them, but what about us? She screamed.
“He is a Grenfell survivor and has lost loved ones. To see the logo of F1 must be harrowing. He should have had input regarding their withdrawal of sponsorship.
Grenfell United, the survivors group Grenfell United described earlier this arrangement as ‘truly frightening’ and requested its removal.
Nabil Choucair 47 said Mercedes’ sponsorship deal to Kingspan building materials company was’sickening, disgusting’
The move came one year after the 36 year-old had posed for a photo on the march carrying a placard stating that he was doing this ‘for all people in Grenfell Tower.
Grand Tour host Jeremy Clarkson slammed Clarkson over the row.
On Saturday, he said in his Sun column: “Woke warden Lewis Hamilton arrived in Saudi Arabia to drive a car sponsored partly by Kingspan. Kingspan’s cladding is on Grenfell Tower. It’s OK.
“When I heard that, my shoulders were also slightly sagging.”
Brendan Clarke Smith, Tory MP for the Tory Party, stated to MailOnline, “As much I admire Lewis Hamilton’s driving, but I feel that he has made a rod of his own back with his constant virtue signalling about various issues yet he then distances him from something so important.
“I think the same could happen to the next World Cup footballers.”
Hamilton refused to answer any questions about the subject at the press conference last night, just before the Jeddah race.
It was not something that I felt I had to talk about publically, he said. He said, “It wasn’t something that I felt the need to speak publicly about.”
“We understand there was a lot of outcry, and support from the community has been overwhelming.
It is not my fault and Toto Wolff is the team’s principal.
“Unfortunately, my name has been associated with it as it was on my car. But, whether this remains the same or not, will be determined.
Hamilton was also mentioned by social media users, who said: “He fights justice up until the point that he might lose.”
One wrote, “You’ll still take Grenfell blood cash though.” That’s a great one champ. One more: ‘Yet…you’re happy that you sponsor the company responsible.
On June 14, 2017, 72 people died in the tragedy (see photo).
Kingspan’s complicity in the fire of June 2017 is the subject of a public inquiry but that did not stop the firm landing the deal, which is said to be worth up to £3million.
Mercedes boss Wolff wrote to Grenfell United to apologise for the ‘additional hurt’ the deal has caused.
Michael Gove, Communities Secretary, said that he will write to Mercedes asking it to reconsider the deal. He also stated that it was deeply disappointing it accepted it.
He stated that “the Grenfell Community deserves better” and said they were ‘rightly to feel deeply hurt, and aggrieved by this decision.
He stated that he and his Cabinet colleagues would keep the system under continuous and careful review in order to make sure the advertising program remains appropriate and serves the public’s best interests.
“I’m aware that Parliament might not support a legal regime which allowed a core participant to a public inquiry into how 72 people died to promote its products to millions of families throughout the country.
“The British success story is represented by the achievements of Sir Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes in recent years. We are proud of them.”
“I’m asking you to reconsider the commercial partnership that threatens all of the great work done by the sport and company.”
Hamilton, 36 years old, used his celebrity to voice concerns about the regime. Hamilton wore a rainbow shield in support of LGBT people as homosexual relationships in Pakistan are against the law.
Lisa Nandy (Screen levelling-up secretary) said she hopes Hamilton will make his views clear to the Kingspan team.
Ms. Nandy stated that she had supported Mr. Gove’s criticisms, and wrote to him asking for the same principled position in regard to the Conservative Party’s decision to accept millions of pounds from developers who own flats which have been covered with the same ACM cladding since 2017.
When asked if Hamilton should make a statement about the sponsors of his team, Ms Nandy said that Hamilton shouldn’t. She also stated that she believes Hamilton is entitled to speak out.
Grenfell has had Lewis Hamilton as an ally. This issue has been raised before.
“I think he will do that behind-the scenes. But the important thing is that we all, from across the political spectrum, increase the pressure so that it doesn’t happen.
“It is deeply disrespectful for people who lost everything four year ago. These people felt invisible to the political system.
“That is what made it possible for this to occur in the first instance.
“We have to convey a clear message that they’re not invisible anymore, that lives matter and that we will stand by them during this investigation.”
Hamilton, seven-time world champion, did make a grudging comment on Kingspan but he said he didn’t feel comfortable competing in Saudi Arabia.
The country has been accused of using the event to ‘sportswash’ its image in the face of condemnation over its human- rights record.
Hamilton voiced his disapproval at the government, including wearing a rainbow helmet to support the LGBT community. In the United States, same-sex marriages are prohibited.
Yesterday’s race saw him in pole position, after Red Bull competitor Max Verstappen fell in qualifying. This meant that he was in third place.
Hamilton finished second overall and won the title. Next week, it will be a winner-takes all match in Abu Dhabi.