Lewis Hamilton shuts his ears during Austrian national anthem in disrespectful gesture; picture surfaces

 Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has been accused of disrespecting the Austrian national anthem after he was pictured covering his ears during the pre-race ceremony at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Formula 1 News, The incident occurred on Sunday, July 2, as the national anthems of Austria and Great Britain were being played. Hamilton, who is British, was seen putting his fingers in his ears as the Austrian anthem played.

The photo of Hamilton's gesture quickly went viral on social media, with many fans accusing him of being disrespectful. Some fans even called for Hamilton to be penalized for his actions.

Hamilton has since defended his actions, saying that he was simply trying to protect his hearing from the loud noise of the anthem. He also said that he had no intention of disrespecting Austria or its national anthem.

However, the controversy has highlighted the sensitivity of national anthems in Formula One. In recent years, there have been several incidents of drivers being accused of disrespecting national anthems.

In 2017, Sebastian Vettel was criticized for not standing up during the national anthem of China. And in 2018, Kimi Raikkonen was accused of making a rude gesture during the national anthem of Russia.

The incident involving Hamilton is a reminder that national anthems are a sensitive issue in Formula One. Drivers need to be aware of the potential consequences of their actions when it comes to national anthems.

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