Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 is wrong to prevent drivers from speaking out when more needs to be done to promote inclusivity and human rights.
The FIA introduced new regulations for 2023 preventing drivers from expressing views it deems political at several points during a grand prix weekend. Drivers face a range of possible sanctions, including sporting penalties potentially as severe as exclusion, if they violate the rules.The seven-times champion has been one of the most outspoken drivers on the grid in recent years, campaigning against racism and urging greater diversity within the sport. He said the news of the FIA’s clampdown on drivers’ expressions “100% tells me we are in the wrong direction.”
“It’s counter to what I’ve been trying to do with the team, for example, what I’ve been trying to do in conversations with stakeholders within our sport.
“But I expect pushback. There are still individuals that don’t either understand or believe the importance of having an inclusive environment. And I think my job and our job is to continue to highlight the positives of what that can have and the importance of it.”
Hamilton has worked with Mercedes to increase the number of staff from under-represented backgrounds in the team. He said he’s willing to “sound like a broken record” in his push for greater diversity.
“That’s the fight I’ll keep on having. I’m really happy that I’ve got Mission 44 working flat-out, I’ve got Ignite and I’m working with the team, we’ve got this diversity charter that we’re now working on with all the teams involved.”
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While the FIA has toughened up its rules against drivers speaking out, Hamilton praised F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who recently said the sport would not “gag” any driver who chose to express themselves.
“We’ve got Stefano who is a really great leader, very family-orientated, very much understanding,” he said. “He’s already come out and gone against what has been said. So we’ll continue to work together to [find] the right direction.”
Domenicali has also defended F1 against criticism that it is used for ‘sportswashing’ by countries such as Bahrain, where it races this weekend, and the host of the next round in Saudi Arabia. Both regimes have been condemned their records on human rights.
Hamilton has previously been contacted by death row inmates in the countries. He has spoken up for them and promoted LGBTQ+ rights in countries where the community is repressed.
However he admitted there was little sign the human rights situation in Bahrain has improved since F1 began racing there almost two decades ago.
“I couldn’t say whether or not I know whether it’s got worse,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s got better while we’ve been coming all these years.
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“I know for me, I’ve only in the last part of the years started to understand more and more of the challenges of the people here in Bahrain and also within obviously Saudi. It was my first time [there] in the last years but of course I read about some of the troubles there.”
Not everyone within F1 has shared his view that the sport should try to be a positive influence in countries it visits, said Hamilton.
“I’ve always felt that we have a responsibility, if a sport is going to go to these countries, we are duty bound to raise awareness and try to leave a positive impact in these places.
“That view’s not always been always been shared within the sport, whether it’s teams or people in high-power positions. But more needs to be done, without doubt. I don’t know how it will happen. Time will tell.”
Asked whether he will carry any special message on his crash helmet or elsewhere this weekend in relation to the situation in Bahrain or the FIA’s clampdown on drivers Hamilton said: “You’ll see. You know me.”
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Qeki (@qeki)
2nd March 2023, 20:28
It would be quite fitting to see bleebs on interviews or one man/woman behind every driver to make sure they don’t say anything wrong. Or drivers working like robots and saying the same things over and over again. It would probaply open few eyes to see what really is wrong with F1
Darryn Smith (@darryn)
2nd March 2023, 21:12
They kind of already have that in a corporate sense. They have all been trained to say nothing while using lots of words. The team minder is always next to them. F1 is just expanding this to the political realm. The drivers of the last couple decades have been for the most part incredibly dull and they are only going to get duller. Careful editing in DTS makes them only very slightly interesting.
John Cousins (@drone)
2nd March 2023, 22:34
I think it’s fantastic that they’re doing this. I mean, who honestly values the political.views of a racing driver? A formula 1 event is hardly the place to do it. If you’re that much of a fan boy, go and follow their social media page or blog or similar. Join a cause, go on a march?
Let’s leave the events for the real motorsport enthusiasts. There are plenty of other forums to “virtue signal”. Go there to spout your personal views on governments, religion, gender issues etc. Let’s talk about racing, racing incidents, technical regulations/infringements and rid this drivel from our sport. Engines make a much better noise…. Well, they used to anyway.
Mal Ross (@malross)
2nd March 2023, 23:01
Get in there, Lewis!
cdfemke (@cdfemke)
3rd March 2023, 0:39
Do you want some cheese with that whine, Sir? Maybe maken ure to beat your team mate this year, instead of getting distracted by these kind of nonsense
Etter
3rd March 2023, 5:22
“Diversity” and “inclusivity”, or forced integration and quotas trumping merit? They’re not close on being the same thing…
Webber fan
3rd March 2023, 5:25
The first Grand Prix I watched was in 1982 and I have followed the sport ever since. I agree Formula 1 is going in the wrong direction. It used to be where what the drivers achieved behind the wheel was the only important thing and not what were their opinons about anything not relating to motorsport. These days too many racers want to grab as much media attention as possible for things which are irrelevant to Formula 1 and motorsport in general.
Gubstar
3rd March 2023, 7:51
Could not agree more. I wish everybody, the drivers, and the media with their own agenda’s would just focus on the racing. I feel it is more a symptom of the modern world we live in where everything has been made political, and everyone is guided into being on one side or the other just for the sake of division (or something to talk about) Like going to the movies, motor racing is escapism from the trials of modern life, so I wish everyone would just focus on that.
drmouse (@drmouse)
3rd March 2023, 8:34
I don’t think this has been true for at least 2 decades. I remember in the early 2000s seeing interviews with drivers asking about their personal lives, about things which had nothing to do with racing. I remember massive criticism being leveled at some drivers who refused to open up about things outside the track or for being “PR droids”. And that’s ignoring the vast amount of official content at the events which had nothing at all to do with racing but which is shoved in your face.
That said, there have been changes. To me, the biggest two are:
1) F1 is actively promoting more regimes with terrible human rights records than ever before.
2) Some of the drivers are now starting to use their celebrity status and popularity to help others, instead of hoarding the benefits for themselves.
Claus J
3rd March 2023, 9:59
That ‘s how we perceive it. Somebody living in the “Global South” perceive FIA as an agent of the devil promoting all sorts of debauchery and fornication with scantily dressed girls and even tolerance of homosexuality at western racetracks. F1 is an international sport, just like the Olympics and FIFA. It’s not an exclusively British or western thing. They have many more obligations than just you and me and the predominantly western drivers you’d like to allow to speak out.
No, they are trying to force FIA to help others at no expense to themselves. It’s completely without cost to the drivers, in fact it benefits their brands…
cdfemke (@cdfemke)
3rd March 2023, 10:17
this… they should focus on racing. and maybe wave at fans once in a while. but mainly focus on racing and their performance on track. Try to beat your teammate, then try to beat the team above you in the WC, and then try to beat everybody on the grid. THAT should be Lewis’ focus at the moment…
Adrian Hancox (@ahxshades)
3rd March 2023, 8:03
As all I watch is the race (because that’s what I like) drivers opinions on world politics were never part of my enjoyment so it won’t impact on my viewing.