Ferrari is facing criticism over its decision to sign up to a diversity and inclusion charter led by F1's champion driver Lewis Hamilton.
"We proudly reaffirm our commitment to equality, equity, and inclusion by endorsing the new Diversity and Inclusion Charter alongside @F1 [Formula 1] and the @fia [Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]," the company posted to its 1.2 million X, formerly Twitter, followers on Tuesday.
The charter, developed in collaboration with all F1 teams, is the result of efforts led by Mercedes driver Sir Lewis Hamilton, the first Black F1 driver, and his charity, The Hamilton Commission, which advocates for inclusion of Black individuals in U.K. motorsports. A report published by the commission in 2021 served as the foundation for the charter.
"Through this report, I feel that we have a clearer understanding of what is preventing the motorsport industry from being truly representative," said Hamilton, who will join Ferrari's team in 2025. "I am committed to turning these recommendations into action and making real, lasting change for the better."
Hamilton rose from a relatively humble start in life to win the F1 driver's championship a joint-record seven times in a sport run almost exclusively by wealthy white men.
But several high profile conservative social media accounts have taken issue with Ferrari's involvement. End Wokeness, which has 3.3 million followers, responding to the post with "Or maybe just make cars." User Clown World wrote: "What a pathetic move."
Right-wing internet personality Paul A. Szypula commented: "Get ready to go out of business." Another, which goes by the handle James Lindsay, anti-Communist, wrote: "Your cars just stopped being cool, which is absolutely incredible."
So far, Ferrari's post has been responded to 4.3 thousand times since it was posted on Tuesday.
In a statement issued on its website, Ferrari said "adherence to the Charter is part of a broader programme by Ferrari to promote equality, fairness and inclusion in its working environment and wider society."
F1 said the charter is "is an important step in agreeing a set of clear joint principles to maintain momentum and continue to maximise diversity across Formula 1, and it sets out a collaborative approach to continue improvements in the months and years ahead."
Newsweek has contacted Ferrari's press office via the contact form on its website and The Hamilton Commission via email.
The backlash comes not long after fellow car manufacturer Jaguar found itself on the receiving end of considerable criticism for a snippet of its rebrand posted on X earlier in November.
We proudly reaffirm our commitment to equality, equity, and inclusion by endorsing the new Diversity and Inclusion Charter alongside @F1 and the @fia.
Through encouraging education, breaking biases, and ensuring transparency, we're creating a more inclusive industry. #Ferrari
The British carmaker posted a 30-second clip featuring models of all ages and races in avant-garde makeup and clothes, with various marketing slogans such as "live vivid" and "delete ordinary" peppered throughout the commercial—but it did not contain any cars. The ad has been viewed more than 160 million times and gained over 120,000 comments, including from X owner Elon Musk, with thousands questioning the brand's attempt to capture younger, more diverse audiences.
Managing director Rawdon Glover told the Financial Times that its intended message had been lost in "a blaze of intolerance" and denied that the clip was a "woke" statement.
"If we play in the same way that everybody else does, we'll just get drowned out. So we shouldn't turn up like an auto brand," he said.
A spokesperson for Jaguar said in a statement issued to Newsweek: "Our brand relaunch for Jaguar is a bold and imaginative reinvention and as expected it has attracted attention and debate.
"As proud custodians at such a remarkable point in Jaguar's history we have preserved iconic symbols while taking a dramatic leap forward. The brand reveal is only the first step in this exciting new era and we look forward to sharing more on Jaguar's transformation in the coming days and weeks."
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