F1 star Lewis Hamilton sacks staff members for Islamophobia

F1 star Lewis Hamilton sacks staff members for 'Islamophobic bullying'

Four members of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team in Brackley have been sacked for Islamophobic bullying.

2 min read

28 September, 2019

Lewis Hamilton is known for anti-racism [Getty]

Car racing champion Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team has fired four of his team members for Islamophobia, reports suggested on Saturday.

Hamilton made the move after Muslim staff members from a site in a Northamptonshire town faced verbal abuse.

After a series of complaints, Hamilton’s Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team launched an inquiry into racism at its own HQ in Brackley, according to British newspaper The Sun.

A Muslim staff member was reportedly called a “Muslim terrorist f**k”, the newspaper reported.

In another case at the site reported during the holy month of Ramadan, the company dismissed racist workers who allegedly started a poll taunting a Muslim colleague with times of when they think he would give up and break his fast.

“This was a really horrible case of racist bullying. They had been picking on one Muslim guy for years. It all came to light when they pinned up the poll. The guys who were sacked had all signed and dated it. It’s outrageous, especially with Lewis being so outspoken about racism,” a source told The Sun.

Hamilton’s team confirmed the sacking in a statement. “Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd confirms that four individuals were dismissed from the company on 2 August 2019,” it said.

“These dismissals followed an internal investigation that confirmed breaches of our diversity and equality policy. We condemn this behaviour in the strongest terms and acted immediately upon the complaint. We value the diversity of our employees and it is a source of strength for our team. Our working environment is based on appreciation and mutual respect.”

Hamilton is well known for standing up against racism.

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