Lewis Hamilton has voiced his disgruntlement at the lack of mask-wearing by FIA officials ahead of the Australian Grand Prix after sitting through the “longest drivers’ briefing” of his life.
Hamilton traveled to Australia having come third in Bahrain and 10th in Saudi Arabia in the two races so far this season. The Brit is a long way off the title as he already sits 29 points behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in first.
He had the chance for reprieve in qualifying in Melbourne and though he qualified fifth, was still a whole second behind Leclerc. But the seven-time world champion was also unhappy with the rules and regulations set out by the FIA, voicing his disappointment at F1’s governing body over their mask control.
The Australian government has been particularly tough in terms of keeping the virus under control, with the 2020 and 2021 editions of the race being canceled due to strict laws on visitors entering the country. But Hamilton hit out at the FIA for not being stringent on officials wearing masks while clamping down on drivers for minor infringements.
“No one in the drivers’ briefing was wearing masks. Some of the drivers were but most of the FIA were not, which for me was uncomfortable,” Hamilton said. “It was the longest drivers’ briefing of my life. I have been racing for a long time and they have never done such a long briefing.
“I don’t understand the small things they are picking up on, like the underwear – are we really talking about that kind of thing? But anyway, you take it and move on.”
