Lewis Hamilton and co warned about F1 ban as FIA send another clear message to drivers | F1 | Sports

Hamilton, 38, has been more prominent that most in relation to making political statements at Grand Prix races. He took the knee before every race he entered in the 2020 F1 season in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and also wore t-shirts at races with the campaign slogan. That same year, he donned a t-shirt bearing ‘Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor’ on the front at the Tuscan Grand Prix.

The Mercedes man has also regularly worn a rainbow colored helmet in races in the Middle East, in support of LGBTQ rights. The now retired Sebastian Vettel has also been outspoken, regularly highlighting the environmental issues and concerns that surround F1.

But FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has reiterated the sport cannot be used to fuel agendas: “We are concerned with building bridges. You can use sport for peace reasons but one thing we don’t want is to have the FIA ​​as a platform for private personal agenda. We will divert from the sport,” he said at the Dakar Rally, via Autosport.

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And the Emirati implied that drivers could go through other means to get their voiced heard: “What does the driver do best? Driving,” he added. “They are so good at it, and they make the business, they make the show, they are the stars. Nobody is stopping them. There are other platforms to express what they want. Everybody has this and they are most welcome to go through the process of the FIA, to go through that.”

Ben Sulayem then reiterated a penalty awaits the driver to deliberately flout regulations: “I have my own personal things, okay, but it doesn’t mean I will use the FIA ​​to do it,” he said. “The FIA ​​should be neutral, I believe. We need the superstars in to make the sport. If there is anything, you take the permission. If not, if they make any other mistake, it’s like speeding in the pit lane. If you do it, it’s very clear what you get.”

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