Formula One star Lewis Hamilton took to Snapchat to declare his intentions to go vegan after watching a television documentary ‘What the Health’ which inspired him to improve his health and avoid harming the planet.

“I’m on a mission to go vegan, people. Animal cruelty, global warming and our personal health is at stake.” Hamilton posted.

The Mercedes driver revealed in an interview ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix that he had gradually moved to veganism over the past two years.

“It is something I have been going towards anyway. I stopped eating red meat two years ago,”

“This year I stopped eating chicken and then kind of went back to it and now I’ve stopped again. So I have generally been pescatarian for the majority of the year and then I’ve cut fish. Take it for what you want to take it for but as the human race what we are doing to the world, there is obviously the pollution that is coming just from the amount of cows that are being produced is incredible,” he said.

“They say it is more than what we produce with our flights and our cars, which is kind of crazy to think. The cruelty is horrible and I don’t necessarily want to support that and I want to be healthy. I want to live a healthier life.”

Hamilton also considered his family medical history in making the decision.

“I don’t want in 10 or 20 years to have diabetes or catch any of that stuff,” He stated.

“I can continue to decide to eat that stuff and take that risk, but when you get [a disease or illness like that], you want to make change, so I am trying to pre-empt that. I think it’s the right direction and by letting people who are following me know, maybe that will encourage a couple of people to do the same thing.”

In Singapore, Hamilton is catered for by chefs and has been eating only plant-based food.