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Lewis Hamilton has come under fire for his latest misdemeanour, after he blasted a hostess standing on the podium at the Chinese Grand Prix in the face with champagne.
A long-standing tradition in Formula One, the victors celebrate their triumph by spraying champagne atop the podium, but usually reserve the privilege of being doused with bubbly for their teammates and competitors.
But this time, Hamilton sprayed the woman he was sharing the podium with.
In this respect, Hamilton has form. He attracted similar responses in 2014 when he did the same thing in Spain.
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Rox Hardie, CEO of Object, and anti-sexism group, has come out swinging about Hamilton’s behaviour and its impact on the ladies.
“It is surely a very difficult position to be a grid girl and she would have had little option but to stand there and take it.”
“That is something of which he [Hamilton] should be aware. But instead, he appears to have abused her position.”
“Motor racing appears to unnecessarily portray women as sexualised objects and that probably makes it even harder for the women to stand up for themselves,” said Hardie. “We would hope people in the industry would be respectful to these women”
Podium girls have come under some scrutiny before, including on The Roar, with some considering the practice to be reducing woment to “beautiful ornaments to stand beside successful men”.
This particular incident, along with the one in Spain, appear to involve women who had no desire to be sprayed with champagne.
Hamilton is yet to make a comment on the incident.
What do you think Roarers?
Lewis Hamilton inundating a hostess with bubbly (Photo: AP)
Lewis Hamilton during the Formula One Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on April 12, 2015 in Shanghai, China. (Red Bull Content Pool)
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