aden smith says he believes Formula E racing will one day be more popular than Formula 1, but people will continue to drive petrol cars “for fun”.
The American rapper and influencer is a big believer in sustainability, saying he has received support from leading members of the racing industry such as Lewis Hamilton would be cool”.
Smith, 24, recently visited the New York City E-Prix and took the fully electric single-seater race car for a test drive.
Speaking to the PA news agency ahead of the UK E-Prix, he said: “I feel like everyone on Earth’s cruise ship are all crew members, we’re not passengers, you know what I mean?
“We all have to give back to the earth and make a difference with the choices we make, you know, and I felt like I had a responsibility to make a difference that way.
“I’m glad I could because, you know, being invited to Formula E was the coolest thing ever.”
Asked if Formula E could one day replace its non-electric counterpart, he added: “I don’t know anything about replacement, but I definitely see a world where this is the more popular sport.
“I think people always want to race petrol cars for fun.
“I just hope this changes the industry in the sense that when people drive around in their own lives, they use electric cars because of Formula E.”
Smith was supported by other famous faces at the race in New York, including American football player Aidan Gallagher Patrice Evrac and driver Jenson Button.
Asked about bringing more high profile people aboard Formula E, he told PA: “Yeah, I think whatever people decide to do… whoever wants to come over and hang out on this side, that is amazing.
“And who doesn’t, you know, it’s totally awesome too.
“I think the future holds a lot of interesting opportunities and I’m just excited to see them all.
“I’m so excited to see how the electrical industry continues to evolve and how people continue to use their platform to shine a light on these amazing technologies.”