Alpine-backed racer Sophia Floersch is facing fan backlash after telling Lewis Hamilton to “put your money where your mouth is.”
The social media comment comes in relation to Hamilton naming his dream line-up should he have his own Formula 1 team, the seven-time World Champion saying he would field Mercedes juniors Kenzo Craigie and Doriane Pin.
Sophia Floersch slammed over Lewis Hamilton comment
Karting champion Craigie is bidding to continue his climb up the ranks with Mercedes’ backing, while Pin is bidding to record a runner-up finish in the all-female F1 Academy 2024 standings, Pin also a familiar face on the endurance racing scene.
But Floersch has attracted fierce fan backlash with her reply on X (formerly known as Twitter) to Hamilton’s reveal, posting: “Put your money where your mouth is!”
If Lewis Hamilton could form a new F1 team he would choose Kenzo Craigie and Doriane Pin as the drivers 💜 pic.twitter.com/qRp7ox3cPK
— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) December 2, 2024
Hamilton has gone to great lengths in recent years to create pathways into Formula 1 for people from underrepresented backgrounds, while he has also been a strong supporter in the push to get a female back on the F1 grid, with Giovanna Amati in 1992 the most recent female entrant and Lella Lombardi the last to make a grand prix start in 1976.
Hamilton has regularly been spotted on the F1 Academy grid and around the paddock, including during the weekend just gone at the Qatar Grand Prix, while the 2022 Sunday Times Rich List had Hamilton ranked number five on ‘The Giving List’ after a £20million donation to his Mission 44 initiative.
“Very disappointed with this response Sophia Floersch,” replied Red Bull senior engineer and author Calum Nicholas.
“Lewis has poured more money and time into championing underrepresented groups than ANYONE in the history of our sport. The Hamilton Commission was a game-changer and without it, we likely wouldn’t have many of the programs working to break down the barriers to entry into racing.
“Why would you want to antagonise people that are already on your side?”
“This is just humiliating for you,” one fan posted in reply to Floersch, another adding: “A small Google search would’ve saved you from this idiocy.”
A fellow fan replied: “You are saying this to one of the few drivers who actually pushes for change and supports women in motorsport? Are you stupid?”
“Saying this about Lewis Hamilton is crazy. The man is literally fighting for you to have a position in F1,” another reply reads, with a similar response coming in of: “Hamilton’s the one guy who you can’t say this to. He has a whole charity dedicated to uplifting people from diverse backgrounds and women in motorsport.”
24-year-old German racer Floersch has been part of the Alpine Academy since 2023 and most recently finished P29 in the 2024 Formula 3 standings.