Lewis Hamilton has announced he’s moving to Switzerland which didn’t interest me very much until I realised the irony of the decision.
Plenty of people have pointed out that although Hamilton has said he needs to get away from the public pressure (which is understandable) he could just as easily do that in place which aren’t also tax havens. But that’s not what piqued my curiosity.
Switzerland has only recently re-affirmed its ban on motor racing, which has stood since the Le Mans disaster of 1955. It briefly looked as though the law might be changed, which might have put existing F1 residents Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen at risk of having to pay income tax.
And the country has also recently concluded a very bitterly fought election campaign in which the far right party were widely criticised for aggressively campaigning against non-white immigration. They even ran a series of posters showing several white sheep kicking a black sheep out of the country.
It seems to me like the arrival of a rich, high-profile, mixed race celebrity is the perfect ironic antidote to flagrant racism such as that.
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eas
31st October 2007, 0:49
Exactly. We simply cannot tolerate a successful, prosperous country comprised
predominantly of white people.
:rolleyes:
Ollie
31st October 2007, 1:16
This story also interested me on many levels. I don’t blame Hamilton for leaving, after all, its high on my own personal priority list and I’m in no-where near the same income bracket as Lewis (like most other people on the planet). But with the recent change in its view on motor sport, perhaps his choice is a little odd? I believe he has chosen Switzerland purely for the peace and quiet. How long that will last is anybodies guess, but I don’t think it was about money. Otherwise he would have moved to Monaco.
verasaki
31st October 2007, 1:43
By any chance was that deported sheep wearing a waiter’s uniform instead of waiving his check book and contract agreements? let me know if anyone spots him yodeling all the way to the bank.
nellyweb
31st October 2007, 8:01
Well, if you’re going to move then why not make it somewhere where you can save some of your hard fought money? I think we all would.
It’s not as if he will see a great deal of Switzerland aside from his own home and the drive to the airport.
Dave
31st October 2007, 10:42
UK is big enough to find a peacefull and quiet place to live, don’t you think?
So, I think, he is just moving because of money.
Alianora La Canta
31st October 2007, 13:18
There probably are a few places where the media wouldn’t dare go in such masses to follow Lewis in the UK – but I can’t see Lewis Hamilton on the Isle of Mull…
Cooperman
31st October 2007, 15:48
I read somewhere earlier in the year (possibly on this site?) that because motor racing is illegal in Switzerland, drivers who call the place home can claim on their income forms that they’re unemployed – which keeps their tax down.
Didn’t McLaren give Lewis a $10 million payrise only a few weeks ago?
davidson yarbah
29th March 2008, 20:59
I am a passionate player of racing so as a youngster I would like for you to arrange my trip ,to switzerland to come and see you racing.