Lewis Hamilton, the 7-time Formula One world champion and known vegan, has sparked a debate among his followers with a recent Instagram post where he’s seen riding a camel in Morocco. Hamilton, who publicly changed to a vegan lifestyle in 2017, is facing criticism for sitting on a camel in his recent post.

The post, which was uploaded during the summer break of the racing season, quickly attracted attention, not all of which was positive. Vocal vegan critics took to social media to express their disappointment, highlighting to the driver that vegan principles typically discourage the use of animals for entertainment or transport.

Comments ranged from disapproval to dismay, with one user stating:

“Vegans don’t ride animals or support animal cruelty. What a shame, Lewis!” Another added: “Why are sitting on a camel’s back? Vegans don’t sit on animals. Very disappointed,” reflecting a sentiment echoed by many others.

This public backlash comes at a critical time in Hamilton’s career. Despite a challenging start to the season, he secured victories at the British Grand Prix and in Belgium, the latter following the disqualification of his teammate George Russell. Furthermore, amidst this competitive tension, Hamilton has announced a move that will see him leave Mercedes and head to Ferrari at the season’s end.

The driver has recently admitted to feeling the pressure and draining of the sport in a recent interview:

“There are days I’m like, shoot, I don’t know how much longer I can go. There are days I’m like, shoot, I’d love a break, a proper break, because you don’t get a real big break in the season like other sports.

“You don’t finish until mid to late December, and then you’re back into training already in January, and that’s two times a day you’re training. There are another couple of hours of therapy that you’re doing during that time as well.”

In the 2024 Formula 1 season, Hamilton has had a mixed performance. Starting with a series of mid-field finishes and a DNF in Australia, Hamilton gradually improved his standings, securing his first podium in Spain with a third-place finish. His momentum continued as he claimed two crucial victories at his home Grand Prix in Great Britain and in Belgium, significantly boosting his points tally. Despite some challenges, including several ninth-place finishes, development of the Mercedes W15 h as meant they’re once again in contention to win.