Ted Kravitz is bemused by Sebastian Vettel’s climate campaigning while he is sponsored by one of the world’s richest oil companies. He spoke out on the “incongruous” relationship on Ted’s Notebook after qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Kravitz said: “Sebastian Vettel is wearing a sort of darker crash helmet calling out, or drawing attention I should say with his environmental activism credentials, Canada’s climate crime I think he calls it, which is about the tar sands. It’s slightly incongruous because on the top of his helmet there’s this big sort of oil pipeline, and then of course they are sponsored by Aramco. The Saudi oil company. The most wealthy company in the world.
“So there’s this sort of Saudi oil company logo and then this big oil pipe over Seb’s helmet.” Kravitz then shrugged his shoulders in confusion adding: “I mean okay Seb, listen, of course I’m with you, But, you know what I mean.”
Alongside his helmet design, Vettel arrived at the Canadian Grand Prix wearing a T-shirt with the message: “Stop mining oil sands”.
READ MORE: Sebastian Vettel branded a ‘hypocrite’ by Canadian minister
The message prompted Alberta’s Minister of Energy, Sonia Savage, to hit back at Vettel ahead of the race. She explained: “I have seen a lot of hypocrisy over the years, but this one takes the cake. A race car driver sponsored by Aston Martin, with financing from Saudi Aramco, complaining about the oilsands.
“Saudi Aramco has the largest daily oil production of all companies in the world. It is reputed to be the single largest contributor to global carbon emissions, of any company, since 1965. Rather than demonizing the oilsands, which is on a path to net-zero, people could look to lowering their own personal carbon footprint. Perhaps a pedal car for Formula 1?”
However, Vettel backed up his message ahead of the weekend, claiming he disagreed with the tar sand project.
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He suggested what happens in Alberta “is a crime” as he hit back at officials for rising greenhouse gas emissions. The four-time world champion added: “I think what happens in Alberta is a crime because you chop down a lot of trees and you basically destroy the place just to extract oil and the manner of doing it with the tar sands mining, oil sands mining is terrible for nature.
“Obviously Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions have gone up since they started doing it. The site has only been, as far as I read, found like 20 years ago.”
