Albon: 'Never too late to address what's wrong'

Red Bull's Alex Albon has added his voice to those who responded to Lewis Hamilton's criticism of Formula 1's initial lack of reaction to the death of George Floyd.

Hamilton offered his support to those peacefully protesting in the streets of America following Floyd's murder last week while in custody of a white policeman in Minneapolis, but the six-time world champion also pointed the finger at F1, a "white dominated sport", for its deafening silence on the matter.

On Monday, Charles Leclerc and Daniel Ricciardo responded to Hamilton's rant while Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi posted #BlackLivesMatter hashtags on their social media or Twitch accounts.

• Hamilton condemns F1 community for silence over racial injustice

Albon, who hails from both Thailand and the United Kingdom, followed suit with a lengthy message on Instagram.

"Truthfully, I’ve been quite hesitant having a voice around George Floyd’s death because I felt I wasn’t in the position to talk," Albon wrote.

"I grew up in a very privileged way, shielded away from any form of racism, whether it was at school, in my neighborhood or racing.

"I never experienced it and so I don’t really know how to put it into words. But I came to realize that that was part of the problem, staying silent wasn’t good enough and everyone should be able to experience how I grew up.

"With that being said it’s never too late to change and to address what’s wrong, this is about justice and to stand up for racial equality.

"What happened to George Floyd is inexcusable, it’s a final straw for many and it’s our duty to reform and create a better world for all of us," added the 24-year-old.

"So how can we help? One way is being vocal and spreading awareness, we can also donate, but more than anything, don’t tolerate any form of racism, whether it be at home with your parents, at school with your friends or at work with your colleagues.

"On a side note, you guys most probably know I’m not the most active on social media, in fact I try to stay away from it most of the time, but if there is one thing I’ve seen, it’s how this topic has created conflict and separation between our community. Let’s keep the love, people."

Williams' George Russell also penned a few words, urging the community to stand together against racism and injustice.

"We all have a voice to speak up for what’s right – and until now I didn’t know how to use mine in this situation," said Russell.

"To echo @Charles_Leclerc‘s words, I just felt out of place sharing my thoughts on these atrocities publicly.

"I struggle to comprehend what I’m seeing in the news and on social media right now – and honestly, I still can’t find the words to express how it makes me feel. But ultimately, no matter how uncomfortable it may be to speak out, silence achieves nothing.

"Now more than ever, we need peace and equality in this world. It’s time we all stand together and kick racism out of our societies for good.

"Use your voice, spread awareness as far as you can. We’re all responsible for ending the injustice. #BlackLivesMatter."

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