Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel made more than a fashion statement, arriving at the Canadian GP on Friday, with a T-shirt reading: “Stop mining tar that destroys climate crime in Canada.”
And the leader, who is known to be outspoken about climate change, did not back down when asked about it at a press conference later that day.
“What is happening in Alberta is a crime because you cut down a lot of trees and actually destroy the place just to get oil and the way you do it by mining tarsan, extracting oil sands is horrible to nature.” said the one-year-old father of three.
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And the driver of the Aston Martin team said he plans to wear a helmet when racing in Montreal with a similar message.
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The helmet of Sebastian Vettel for the Canadian GP 2022. # CanadianGP # SV5 #Vettel #Arai pic.twitter.com/cJzfnCI6Us
– Jens Munser Designs (@JMD_helmets) June 17, 2022
Vettel, whose car is sponsored by Saudi Aramco, wore a similar T-shirt in Miami last month that read “Miami 2060 – first underwater grand – act now or swim later,” highlighting the effects of climate change in low-lying areas.
Alberta’s energy minister, Sonia Savage, took to Twitter in response, saying the apparent hypocrisy was “taking the cake”.
“Saudi Aramco has the largest daily oil production of any company in the world. “It is considered to be the largest contributor to the global carbon emissions of any company since 1965,” Savage wrote.
Instead of demonizing the oil sands, which are on the way to net zero, people could seek to reduce their personal carbon footprint. Maybe a car with pedals for Formula 1? 👍👍🏎️ 3/3
– Sonia Savage (@sonyasavage) June 17, 2022
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“Instead of demonizing the oil sands, which are on the way to net zero, people could seek to reduce their personal carbon footprint.
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While on a British television panel show, Vettel was asked if his position on the environment made him a hypocrite, given his involvement in a sport that “consumes gas”.
Read more: Alberta’s oil sands: key dates that shaped the economic giant
“That’s right, that’s right, and you’re right when you laugh,” he replied. “There are questions I ask myself every day and I am not a saint.
“Some things are under my control and some are not. My passion is driving a car, I love it and every time I get in the car, I love it.
When I get out of the car, of course, I also think, “Is this what we should do – travel the world, waste resources?”
At the same press conference on Friday, Vettel stressed the need to care for the Earth for future generations.
“I think it’s fair to take care of it and not destroy it.”
Read more: The Oil Sands Alliance will focus on the sustainability of the energy industry, moving towards zero ambitions
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Vettel is the latest in a series of celebrities and public figures to talk about oil sands.
Sebastian Vettel is proof that being a good person makes you cool pic.twitter.com/HLSmXXcyQ8
– leen (@LEENIAJ) June 16, 2022
In 2008, actress Neve Campbell toured the sands of oil, becoming one of the first celebrities to speak out against the industry.
Since then, a number of celebrities, including director James Cameron, anti-apartheid leader Desmond Tutu, singer Neil Young, actress Jane Fonda and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, have made similar trips to draw attention to environmental issues.
Read more: Helicopter pilot tells about the Jane Fonda tour in the oil sands: “they received so much misinformation”
– with files from The Canadian Press and Reuters
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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