Lewis Hamilton is probably the only driver who dares to make political statements in the Formula One paddock. He did speak all the time whenever injustice took place in the world, through the platform of the Grand Prix races or through his personal social media accounts. Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel were the two drivers who used the sports platform in order to make more people aware of an issue. They have made statements on ‘Black Lives Matter’, LGBTQ+ rights, Climate Change, etc, and FIA allowed them to do so.
It has never been a problem for anyone until the FIA imposed a ban on such statements delivered by any driver on the platform Formula One. Recently, the governing body of Formula One announced that no political, religious, or any kind of personal statements would be made under the umbrella of the sport. And if anyone still wants to do so, they will have to get written permission from FIA.
The Political Statement Ban By FIA Target Lewis Hamilton
As Sebastian Vettel got retired from Formula One, only Lewis Hamilton remains, who will seek to speak on matters. [beyond the sport]. This action taken by FIA seems to target the seven-time world champion directly. He became a global advocate for anti-racism, mostly with the help of F1’s platform, by making great statements.
But as a matter of fact, FIA put a ban on any similar activity. This means now Hamilton can’t do any such thing. This makes him a star of the world, not only of sports. With this understanding, Mercedes principal Toto Wolff wants clarification from the president of FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Wolff wants a meeting with Lewis Hamilton and the president, as he knows that Hamilton will not stop speaking on social issues.
Before the new season begins, Toto Wolff is seeking to make things clear. He said, “We need to see how this really pans out.” He admits that Formula One is not supposed to mix with politics, but it is all about how we unite. However, the boss has no doubts about Mohammed Ben Sulayem making any wrong decisions. He knows that by such a ban, FIA wants to achieve the right thing.
Meanwhile, for the drivers who have been more outspoken in the past, there is an alignment with him. Toto Wolff said, “Lewis Hamilton has spoken with the president in the past. And all the discussions have ended on a positive note.” So at this time, when the ban seems targeted at Hamilton. He needs to sit together with Mohammed at a table and figure out what the actual matter is, as believed by Toto Wolff. Toto Wolff believes that having a discussion with the FIA principal on the matter won’t be considered harsh.