Lewis Hamilton has insisted he is not an anti-vaxxer after previously re-sharing a Covid-19 vaccine conspiracy theory post.
The 35-year-old originally shared a video from a content creator with the handle King Bach, which showed an interview with Microsoft giant Bill Gates on CBS News as he discussed progress on a coronavirus vaccine.
The post was accompanied with a caption reading: “I remember when I told my first lie”.
However, Formula 1 star Hamilton has since claimed he had not seen the caption when he re-shared the post with his 18.3 million followers.
He added that he was only sharing the video to highlight how much work needs to be done in order for a vaccine to be safe.
In a statement on his Instagram story, Hamilton wrote: “I’ve noticed some comments on my earlier post around the coronavirus vaccine, and want to clarify my thoughts on it, as I understand why they may have been misinterpreted.
“Firstly I hadn’t actually seen the comment attached so that is totally my fault and I have a lot of respect for the charity work Bill Gates does.
“I also want to be clear that I’m not against a vaccine and no doubt it will be important in the fight against coronavirus, and I’m hopeful for its development to help save lives.”
He continued: “However, after watching the video, I felt it showed that there is still a lot of uncertainty about the side effects most importantly and how it is going to be funded.”
Acknowledging his mistake, Hamilton concluded: “I may not always get my posting right, I’m only human but I’m learning as we go. Sending you positivity.”
Hamilton had previously received criticism from followers for sharing a baseless conspiracy theory.
Gates has found himself at the heart of several Covid-19 conspiracy theories. Theories falsely linking Bill Gates to the coronavirus were mentioned 1.2 million times on television or social media between February and April, according to a study by The New York Times.
