FIA forbids drivers to make political statements without prior authorization

The political positions of Formula 1 drivers during Grand Prix weekends will soon be sanctioned if they have not been the subject of prior authorization.

This is stated in the new article 12.2.1.n of the FIA, which states that drivers will be considered in breach of the law if they “disseminate or display political, religious, and personal statements or comments, particularly in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA in accordance with its Statutes, unless they have been previously approved in writing by the FIA for international competitions, or by the respective ASN for national competitions under their jurisdiction.”

Furthermore, the International Sporting Code now explicitly states that drivers must respect the podium procedure. If they “do not comply with the FIA’s guidelines regarding the designation and involvement of individuals during the official ceremonies of any competition counting towards an FIA championship”, they risk sanctions, according to the statement.

Lewis Hamilton’s actions.

Two drivers are indirectly targeted by this new regulation: Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. Both world champions have repeatedly expressed their personal opinions, especially regarding racism and homophobia for the former, with the latter concern also being shared by the German.

Thus, during the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello, Lewis Hamilton made a lot of headlines by wearing a T-shirt on the podium that said: « Stop the cops who killed Breonna Taylor »,” an African American woman who was killed during a raid on her home in early 2020. On the back, there was a photo of her face and the following words, often used by the Black Lives Matter movement: « Say her name » (Say her name, editor’s note).”

This action by Hamilton was subject to scrutiny by the FIA, which subsequently modified the instructions regarding the Russian Grand Prix of that same year to prevent it from happening again. The drivers were informed that they had to wear their racing suit up to their neck for the podium and post-race interviews, which was included in the Formula 1 sporting regulations.

Sebastian Vettel’s activism

More recently, it is the four-time world champion and recently retired Sebastian Vettel who was not afraid to show his colors. In the past few years, the German has often worn clothes aimed at raising awareness among the public about environmental and political issues.

During the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel refused to remove his “Same Love” T-shirt during the national anthem before the race. The German, Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz, and Lance Stroll had worn rainbow T-shirts in support of the LGBT+ cause prior to the Grand Prix, which resulted in reprimands from the officials. This was a protest against the openly homophobic policies of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Last year as well, the former F1 driver wore a T-shirt in Canada saying: “Stop the exploitation of tar sands – Canada’s climate crime,” referring to the exploitation of tar sands in Alberta.