Two-time series champion Jean-Eric Vergne says Lewis Hamilton should move to Formula E to back up his eco-friendly message.
Last week, the Briton made headlines by posting an Instagram story suggesting he had “given up” but later insisted he was “still fighting” with the topic believed to be around climate change.
As part of his effort to go green, Hamilton was gone vegan and also recently opened ‘Neat Burger’ a chain selling plant-based meat products, but Vergne wants him to go further.
“To be honest with you not even two years ago I would have disagreed with what he said,” the Frenchman was quoted by GPFans.
“But today I have a greater awareness thanks to people like him, thanks to many other athletes in the world that are basically saying the same thing.
“I agree 100% with him and I want to achieve more in Formula E to join him and [show] that he’s not the only racing driver speaking his mind.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hamilton’s stance has been divisive with some calling him a hypocrite given his own lifestyle but Vergne was quick to defend him.
“He even sold his jet – he’s a lot more aware about the problems we are facing as human beings,” he continued.
“He probably receives a lot of criticism [because] he races in a petrol car creating a lot more pollution than any other sport in the world.
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“That’s why I think it will be a logical step for him to come into Formula E, to do a lot more than just being a racing driver, a lot more than just being the greatest racing driver of all time, but to change the mentality of people, to inspire younger generations.
“Because the younger generation needs to grow up with the things that we can teach them – exactly like what Lewis did.”
Hamilton himself has previously suggested Formula E could be an option post-F1 with Mercedes joining the grid from Season 6.