Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel admitted his career is 'hypocritical' alongside his strong environmental views, on last night’s Question Time which was filmed in Hackney.

Vettel, who holds four world titles, is known to be an advocate of environmental issues. He reportedly took an organic farming course during lockdown and even stayed behind after the British Grand Prix last year to help clean up waste left by punters.

When asked by Fiona Bruce on last night’s programme if his participation in Formula One makes him a hypocrite, he agreed that it did.

Bruce said: “It’s interesting that you’ve talked a lot in most of the questions we’ve been asked tonight about energy and the need for renewable energies and you are a Formula One driver which is one of the most gas-guzzling sports in the world. Does that make you a hypocrite?”

Vettel responded saying: “It does.

“There are questions I ask myself everyday and I’m not a saint. I am very concerned when it comes to energy dependence and where we are going in the future.

“Certain things are in my control and certain things aren’t. It’s my passion to drive a car, I love it but is this something that we should do? Travel the world wasting resources?”

F1 bosses have promised that the sport will be sustainably fuelled by 2026 and net-zero carbon by the start of the next decade.

The Aston Martin driver also plugged the importance of diversifying energy supply and nodded to the UK’s huge potential for generating wind power.

He said: “You have this goldmine that you are sitting on which is wind and you have the ability to increase your energy supply with wind power.”

When promoted by Bruce to weigh in on Brexit discussions, Vettel branded the UK’s leaving of the EU a ‘mess’.

“Obviously I’m not familiar with all the exact details, but in the bigger picture, now you’re in this mess, you’ve got to deal with it,”.

The 34-year-old was the first ever F1 driver to appear on the panel of Question Time.

*additional copy by Philip Duncan PA