MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CELEBRITY NEWS

‘Nothing will stop me’: Lewis Hamilton shrugs off FIA ban on ‘political’ statements ahead of 2023 F1 season

After winning his Tuscan Grand Prix in 2020, Lewis Hamilton was seen wearing a shirt that read 'Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor'

F1 legend Lewis Hamilton will continue to speak out on social issues, including police brutality and on a subject like Black Lives Matter. The statement came amid new F1 rules, which ban racers from making any political statement at race events. The latest addition to the sporting code was made in December, last year by Motor Racing's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

As per reports, it mentioned "the general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA,” will be prohibited at race events by drivers. In an interview, Hamilton said on Tuesday, February 14, "It doesn't surprise me. But nothing will stop me from speaking on the things that I'm passionate about, and on issues that there are." He told ESPN that it is important for the sporting world to defend social justice issues, "The sport does have a responsibility still to speak out, to create awareness on important topics, particularly as we travel to all these different places. So nothing changes for me."

READ MORE

NAACP makes YMCA reverse decision to make 12-year-old change Black Lives Matter swimsuit

Lewis Hamilton kneels to support BLM movement with colleagues as six F1 drivers choose 'not to be controversial'

'We still have this platform'

The seven times World Drivers’ Championship titles winner clarified that "it would be silly to say" that he "would want to get penalty points for speaking out," however, Hamilton said, "I am still going to be speaking my mind. We still have this platform, and there are still a lot of things we need to tackle." After winning his Tuscan Grand Prix in 2020, California, Hamilton was seen wearing a shirt that read, "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" on the front, with an image of Taylor on the back and the words "Say her name."

Hamilton also opened up about being a solo Black driver to have made it big in the F1 arena and the influences he had while growing up. "My dad and I would watch people like Tiger [Woods] who kind of broke the mold, and we watched in admiration. The Williams sisters also did the same," he said earlier. "We're like, 'Oh if we could do something like that, that's going to help change the industry moving forward.'"

'So they tell you what you can say?'

There were quite a few reactions on social media after his interview with ESPN, where one wrote, "Wonder how many good old red-blooded Americans will continue to support FIA, particularly since they're suppressing their driver's freedom of speech." The second wrote, "Reporters shouldn’t be able to bait them to speak out. If they do, share the fine." One Twitterati expressed frustration at the new rule, "Whoa. So they tell you what you can say? Rather than taking an initial pay cut & create our own, we go to where they own, pay & control us. Treat us like good boys & tell us f your people's problems, because no one but us is mistreated & talking equality. #BlackHistoryMonth" The other user was in support of the ban, "Sport has a responsibility to make money. That's it. If it panders to politics, it's to make more money."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.