Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Mercedes Formula 1, has been urged to apologise by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer following controversial comments made during an interview with Sky News.
In the interview broadcast on Wednesday, Ratcliffe stated that the United Kingdom has been “colonised by immigrants,” a remark that quickly drew political and public criticism. The British billionaire holds a 33.33% stake in Mercedes through his multinational petrochemical company INEOS and has been a co-owner of the F1 team since December 2020.
In full, Ratcliffe said: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants, really, hasn’t it?”
The comments prompted backlash, including from supporter groups of Manchester United Football Club, where Ratcliffe is also a co-owner. He currently resides in Monaco.
Ratcliffe further criticised the current prime minister, describing Starmer as “too nice” to undertake “difficult things.” Starmer responded directly on social media platform X.
“Offensive and wrong. Britain is a proud, tolerant and diverse country. Jim Ratcliffe should apologise,” Starmer wrote.
The controversy emerges against the backdrop of Mercedes’ longstanding public commitment to diversity and inclusion within the Formula 1 paddock. The Brackley-based team launched its ‘Accelerate 25’ initiative in 2020, a five-year programme aimed at ensuring that 25% of new recruits come from underrepresented groups.
As of now, no additional official statement has been issued by Mercedes regarding the call for an apology. The situation develops as the team prepares for the 2026 Formula 1 season under a new regulatory cycle.
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