Lewis Hamilton’s statement in an interview on India not only grabbed headlines but also got him a backlash. During an interview, Hamilton said, “I've been to Vietnam before and it is beautiful. I've been to India before to a race which was strange because India was such a poor place yet we had this massive, beautiful grand, track made in the middle of nowhere.” The Indian fans put him in place after the comments were made by him., Now, the Formula One champ took to social media to clarify his comments and his that his comments were related to Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton Calls India a ‘Poor Place,’ Angry Indian Twitterati Immediately Put Formula One Champion in His Place.

He went on to say that instead of spending money on tracks the money could have been invested in building schools especially because there were many homeless people. “They spent hundreds of millions on that track that is now never used. That money could have been spent on schools or homes for those in need. When we did have the race, nobody came because it was too expensive most likely or no interest. However, I have met some amazing India fans,” read the statement. Read the full statement here.

Even Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff said that his comments were misconstrued and were blown out of context. “He spoke with empathy about India and the painful contrast between wealth and poverty that we face while travelling the globe as sporting ambassadors. He did not criticise the nation and his words were those of a thoughtful and considered champion. The only fault here lies with the people who have twisted his words to mean something else entirely,” read the statement.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 16, 2018 10:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).