Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff were both left in an awkward situation on stage at the Forbes Iconoclast Summit this week when PETA supporters confronted the Mercedes duo to encourage F1 bosses to cut ties with the Alaskan Iditarod dog race. Hamilton and Wolff were the last to speak on the first day of Iconoclast as the Mercedes pair spoke about a range of topics from the team’s history to their hope of ‘increasing diversity’ in the sport.
But their panel was interrupted by PETA supporters, which caught both Hamilton and Wolff off guard. A lady approached the stage, holding up a large sign condemning the Iditarod dog race, before shouting: “Lewis, I love you and respect you and I know that you’re companionship with your dogs demonstrates the love that you have for animals.
“I beg you please. We’re begging you to please… I know that you don’t want dogs to suffer, you don’t want dogs to suffer right?” Hamilton then simply responded by shaking his head, while Wolff looked on silently.
She continued: “The Iditarod race does that. The Iditarod has a longstanding history…” Wolff then tries to interject, leaning forward to say “You have the right message”, but he’s ignored and cut off by the protester before he’s able to finish.
The protester continued: “I beg you to please cut your ties with the Iditarod race. Use your influence to please use your influence [inaudible] and ask them to severe their ties. Formula One is in your family, please ask them to severe their ties.”
Security begins leading the protesters out before the person holding the camera makes one final plea to Hamilton. “We love you Lewis, we know you’re an ally so please ask Formula One to stop the Iditarod. Dogs are dying every year.”
The 38-year-old puts his thumb up in response to the latter plea, which PETA have taken as a sign he has lent his support to their call for F1 to stop its ties with the grueling 1,000-mile dog-sled race in Alaska.
Hamilton is yet to speak out about the interruption by the protesters, but PETA have spoken out more on the Iditarod race. The Alaskan dog-sled race is run over 1000 miles and is held annually, which sees those competing run in sub-zero temperatures and PETA claims over 150 dogs have died from the event.
GCI still sponsor the controversial race, a company that is affiliated with F1 owner group Liberty Media. PETA have been successful in the past at getting big companies to withdraw their sponsorship of the Iditarod.
Wells Fargo pulled their sponsorship in 2017 while Alaska Airlines, Coca-Cola, Costco, Jack Daniel’s, Pizza Hut and Exxon followed suit a few years later.
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