Lewis Hamilton has confirmed his interest in buying Ducati’s satellite team Gresini Racing MotoGP. Hamilton’s new venture didn’t really surprise the fans. They were rather excited, knowing his love for motorcycle racing. So, another new chapter is beginning for Hamilton, and this grand step from the F1 legend demands a grand celebration. Fans congratulated their favorite driver through their varied creative ways. Meanwhile, Gresini Racing allegedly declared their new owner Lewis through ‘subtle’ hints.

Taking to Instagram, Gresini Racing shared a series of photos with the caption: “Everything looks pretty much ready for the weekend…” And now this very post is causing devastation to the team. All the technical personnel of the MotoGP team wore dreadlocks in the photos, just like Lewis Hamilton’s, tied in the same manner as the 7x F1 World Champion.

While some might see this as a great way to launch their partnership, the LH Army isn’t happy at all. What started as a mild attempt to hop onto trends and speculations, eventually caught the eyes of the fans, and not in a good way. To say that LH Army hasn’t taken this cultural appropriation lightly, would be an understatement. Fans are upset, calling out the racing team for their alleged insensitive move.

Now, taking over the comment section of the post, fans have taken turns expressing their disappointment with Gresini. Fans are upset with the MotoGP team’s post, implying that it is demeaning towards their idol, and culture, at large. Here’s how fans reacted.

Lewis Hamilton’s fans barge in to defend their hero against Gresini’s social media post

Lewis Hamilton has always shared a very special bond with his fans. They march in whenever they feel their idol is being misunderstood or taunted or any of that stuff. This time is no different. LH Army has sent clear displeased messages to Gresini Racing, after their social media post with employees donning dreadlocks. As the fans pointed out how this move was ‘unnecessary’ since their hero was taking over them; the supporters commented harshly.

“What’s funny about this like genuinely?” asked a fan in the comments. Another fan resonated with similar emotions, saying, “What is the point of this post if not being disrespectful and I see people laughing. I don’t get it honestly 😮😐.” Fans are not having any bit of this post, which also could’ve been ‘just’ a post without any implications.

“This is not funny y’all should be ashamed,” said another fan, resonating with the larger sentiment of the fanbase, according to whom, Gresini must take credibility for this. Another fan retorted: “Missed the joke here.” While some fans casually took the post, the majority of them ‘decoded’ the underlying implications, leading to their aggressive reactions. A faithful supporter further added: “Embarrassing to say the bare minimum!”

The controversy sparked by Gresini Racing’s post shows the sensitivity around cultural representation in sports. Lewis Hamilton’s fans actively expressed their discontent, viewing the post as ‘disrespectful’ towards their idol. What might have been a light-hearted connecting moment between Gresini Racing and the LH Army, quickly became a textbook example of why clear communication and sensitivity are crucial in navigating such incidents. What are your thoughts in this context? Let us know in the comments.