Just Stop Oil protests a worry for F1 drivers

Just Stop Oil is intent on disrupting high-profile sporting events in the United Kingdom this summer, with F1 an obvious target, for its massive global carbon footprint and the fact that car and oil companies are so invested in the sport. As well as, of course, substantial investment in the top flight of motorsport from business in oil-producing giants such as USA and Saudi Arabia.

PA Media report that Just Stop Oil activists targeted Wimbledon on Wednesday and caused disruption at the Lord’s Ashes Test between England and Australia, the Premiership rugby final and the World Snooker Championship of late.

On the opening lap of last year's British Grand Prix (unseen on live TV controlled by FOM) five people invaded the ultra-fast Wellington Straight during the opening lap before sanity prevailed and they were removed. F1 has tragic evidence (Tom Pryce was killed at Kyalami in 1977 when he hit a marshal) of what an F1 car can do if it strikes a human at speed. It's unthinkable, to be frank.

Speaking to reporters ahead of his home race, Hamilton, an activist himself who has used F1 as a stage to highlight racial injustices, was asked if he supported protests of this nature, to which he replied: “Yes. I support peaceful protests.”

As for a possible track invasion, Hamilton explained: “We have 100 more marshals this weekend which will be supportive to make sure it doesn’t happen. From my perspective, and my teams’ perspective, we are focused on sustainability and we believe in what people (the protesters) are fighting for and we are making those changes as a sport."

"Safety is Key. We don’t want to put them in harm’s way and we don’t want to put anyone else in harm’s way. If there was to be one (a protest) we hope it is not on track," added Hamilton.

Earlier in the week, fellow Briton Lando Norris raised his concerns about a Just Stop Oil protest happening on track while racing is happening: "I hope people are smart enough not to do it. There are much safer ways to get just as much attention and do what they want to do.

"It is a very selfish thing to do at the same time because of the consequences it has on the person that drives the car if something happened," added the 23-year-old McLaren driver.

London-born Williams driver Alex Albon is uneasy heading to Silverstone: “I think obviously, there is possibly quite a high chance of something happening this weekend. We just have to wait and see and obviously more than anything

"With the sport we do, it is a bit of a concern because… a pitch invasion is one thing but with cars and moving parts, all this kind of thing, it gets a bit more dangerous to some extent. I think on that side, we’re still yet to have a meeting with the FIA over what would happen in that circumstance. But we just have to be prepared for it," warned Albon.

Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups working together to ensure that the government commits to ending all new licenses and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK. Source here>>>

We demand that the UK government makes a statement that it will immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK.

"The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human well-being and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future".

Civil Resistance is a powerful way for people to Nonviolently demand their rights, freedom, and justice. When people wage NonViolent Civil Resistance, they use tactics such as strikes, boycotts, mass protests and disruption to withdraw their cooperation from the state. We are willing to take part in Nonviolent Direct Action targeting the UK’s oil and gas infrastructure should the Government fail to meet our demand by 14 March 2022.

Probably, however, there is a long-established tradition in the UK of citizens when they recognise that the state is acting immorally, taking action to prevent greater harm. In opening new oil fields our government is directly harming us, we therefore assert our legal right and moral duty to act.

Most of our funding for recruitment, training, capacity building, and education comes from Climate Emergency Fund. We also receive donations from members of the public who support the campaign and from foundations and groups who are as terrified as we are about the unfolding climate crisis.

Apart from tea and sandwiches, we use the funds to organise, pay for accommodation and travel costs. And it is not cheap to attend the British Grand Prix!