'You're a genius": Ben Shapiro calls out Lewis Hamilton following remarks against Florida's LGBTQ measures

Conservative political commentator and media personality Ben Shapiro has called out Lewis Hamilton for comparing Florida's LGBTQ+ laws to that of Saudi Arabia. The seven-time world champion is using his platform to voice his thoughts against the Florida government's suppression of LGBTQ+ people.

The Mercedes driver recently compared Florida's laws to those in Saudi Arabia, leading to backlash from the conservative community around the US. Shapiro is one of the biggest conservative speakers in the country and was quick to criticize Hamilton's view that Florida is similar to Saudi Arabia.

Ben Shapiro tweeted about Lewis Hamilton's comments:

"Yes, Florida is just like Saudi Arabia, you are a genius."

Hamilton is wearing his rainbow-themed helmet in protest of the anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Florida, ahead of the 2023 Miami GP. Speaking about his support for the LGBTQ+ community, the world champion said:

“I stand by those within the community here. I hope they continue to stand firm and push back. I’ll have the rainbow on my helmet. It’s no different to when we were in Saudi. I did hear and have read about some of the decisions that have been made in government here and I do not agree with it and I do not support it."

F1 pundit claims the Lewis Hamilton-Mercedes era is over

Dutch commentator Rob Kamphues has declared the end of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes' reign in F1, citing Max Verstappen's victory at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the defining moment. Despite Hamilton's persistent pursuit of his eighth championship title, Mercedes has failed to deliver a competitive car that can challenge Red Bull, the new front-runners.

The introduction of the ground-effect era in F1 has posed several challenges for the Silver Arrows, with the team struggling to comprehend the 2022 aerodynamic regulations, leaving them at a disadvantage compared to their rivals.

Hamilton has not claimed a win since 2021 and was outperformed by his younger teammate George Russell in 2022. Kamphues wrote in Formule 1 Magazine:

“Could something have snapped in the great champion? Lewis hasn’t won a race since that day, he hasn’t achieved pole, he’s never even started from the front row. In 2022, he also finished behind his younger teammate in the championship and that younger teammate also won the only race Mercedes won. Not to mention this season."

It will be interesting to see what Lewis Hamilton can do in Miami this weekend.