Sebastian Vettel Raised an Alarm Over Climate Change at the Miami Grand Prix

It's not the first time he's used a shirt to send a message

Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Aston Martin F1 Team on May 04, 2022.
Dan Istitene - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

Let’s say you’re about to take part in a sporting event that’s located in a part of the world that’s at risk from climate change. What’s your best option to raise awareness of the issue? If you’re Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel, the answer includes a t-shirt that makes a decidedly unambiguous statement.

Vettel is in Miami for this year’s Miami Grand Prix, set to take place on Sunday. While appearing at the race’s opening party, Vettel wore a t-shirt bearing an illustration of a race car driver breathing underwater with a snorkel. The text on it read “Miami 2060: 1st Grand Prix Under Water,” with “Act Now or Swim Later” directly below it.

As Jalopnik’s report on the event points out, Vettel was the only driver to wear something other than his team’s gear. And yes, that might seem like a bold choice. On the other hand, the future of Miami — and numerous other coastal cities around the world — is looking increasingly worrisome.

It’s worth mentioning that Vettel’s concern for the environment is hardly a secret. Last year, ESPN reported on his decision to help clean up after the British Grand Prix, which wasn’t the first time he’d done something like that. Vettel has also used his sartorial choices as a way to take a political stand in the past — all of which makes his Miami shirt feel like the latest in a long line of statements of purpose.

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