"I stand with the many Russian citizens" - Lewis Hamilton has a message for those suffering from Russia-Ukraine conflict

Lewis Hamilton has expressed his heartfelt support for Ukrainian citizens fighting against the Russian occupation, following the outbreak of conflict between the two countries.

Through his social media channels, the Briton has called for his followers to “stand against injustice” while expressing support for the citizens of Ukraine as well as Russian citizens protesting the invasion. In a story posted on Instagram, he wrote:

“When we see injustice, it is important we stand against it. My heart goes out to all the courageous people of Ukraine who are facing such terrible attacks for simply choosing a better future and I stand with the many Russian citizens who oppose this violence and seek peace, often at risk to their own freedom.”

Hamilton is the latest among several drivers who have openly condemned Russian aggression towards Ukraine. Meanwhile, drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen have refused to race at the Russian GP that was scheduled for later this year. Soon after, F1 officially canceled the 2022 Russian Grand Prix, stating that it was impossible to hold the race “under current circumstances”.

Meanwhile, Haas F1 has suspended its sponsorship deal with Russian fertilizer giant Uralkali, while currently deliberating Nikita Mazepin’s future within the team. Mazepin is a Russian citizen and is backed by Uralkali, owned by his father Dmitry, who incidentally has close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Mercedes still has ‘obstacles’ to overcome: Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton claims Mercedes still has “a lot of obstacles” to overcome ahead of the 2022 F1 season opener in Bahrain. The Briton further revealed that the team didn’t have the smoothest run during Barcelona testing.

Speaking to the media after the conclusion of the test, the seven-time F1 world champion said:

“We’ve definitely had some obstacles to overcome. But I’m happy with today. The car is a lot different to previous years to drive, as are the tires. We’re working our way through it.”

Hamilton said he was pleased to get a feel for Pirelli’s new 18-inch tire compounds but felt it was really difficult to ascertain where the team stood compared to the rest of the grid. He said the team would go through a ton of data collected through the test and put in the work to arrive in the best possible shape in Bahrain in two weeks.