Ricciardo: Silence worse than criticism for anti-racism push
Renault Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo says staying silent over his anti-racism stance would be much worse than potentially facing any criticism for his actions from social media trolls.

The Australian is fully behind the anti-racism push in F1, and at the Russian Grand Prix wore an ‘Equality’ mask to show his desire to publicise the message.
But while being so openly behind the campaign has left Ricciardo in the firing line from a minority who do not share his views, the Renault driver is clear that he cannot expect everyone to be behind him.
“With the social media stuff, I think in general I try not to read too much because you might get 95 percent of the positive stuff, but it all it takes is that five percent to kind of piss you off," he said.
“They'll always be there. You're never going to have a 100 percent majority you know. It just doesn't quite exist unfortunately.”
Read Also:
Ricciardo said his choice of the ‘Equality’ mask was inspired by Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, who has displayed different messages to promote the Black Lives Matter movement.
And he says he feels happy that the world can now openly discuss something that even he himself admitted he felt difficult to talk about a few months ago.
“Even just talking about Black Lives Matter, and even referencing a black person as a black person, saying these things now out loud, for sure we didn't really have that much comfort talking about it,” he explained.
“I didn't have much comfort talking about it at the start of this year. So to start talking about things that you've never spoken about before, whether it's on racism, whether it's on mental health or any of these subjects, it is a little bit daunting. So you have to be prepared to probably open yourself up for a little bit of criticism, or maybe not 100% positive feedback.
“But again, I think if it's something that you feel strongly about and you believe in, I don't see why not.
“I think especially with the racism stuff. A big problem is the silence, and it's the people that you know are too comfortable in their shell in not speaking up. I think that's the thing: just encouraging you, if you do have a voice and a positive one, then let it be heard.”
Related video

Previous article
Horner would like to have seen what da Costa could do in F1
Next article
Vettel open to idea of spec-car race for F1 drivers

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Daniel Ricciardo |
Teams | Renault F1 Team |
Author | Jonathan Noble |
Ricciardo: Silence worse than criticism for anti-racism push
Trending
The defining traits that set F1’s best apart
What makes the very best drivers in Formula 1 stand out among what is already a highly elite bunch? Andrew Benson takes a closer look at those with the special blend of skill, judgment, feel and attitude that sets only a select few apart from the rest.
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat