Lewis Hamilton and Co. could face FIA's 'list of shame' punishments if they don't follow the new rules

F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP takes a knee on the grid in support of the Black Lives Matter movement prior to the F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone on August 09, 2020 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Despite the new regulations for F1 drivers, Lewis Hamilton has said that he will continue to speak out on issues he is passionate about. The seven-time world champion stated that he will "defy" the FIA's ban on drivers' freedom of speech.

F1's governing body, the FIA, has updated its rules for the upcoming 2023 season. One of the updates says that drivers must obtain prior approval for any "political, religious, or personal" comments made during races.

Recent reports indicate that the FIA has come up with punishments for breaking the free speech rule and some of these seem unreasonable. Punishments include warnings, fines, public service, deletion of lap times in qualifying and practice, a drop of grid place, stop-and-go penalties, long lap penalties, pit lane starts, extra penalty laps, and even dropping places from the final race classification.

Many fans and commentators have criticized the FIA's new rule, arguing that athletes should have the freedom to express their views.

They argue that athletes like Lewis Hamilton are often role models and can use their platforms to raise awareness about important issues and inspire change. Some have also pointed out that the new rule may be difficult to enforce, as it may be hard to draw a clear line between a 'political' statement and one on a social issue.

Every driver has, one way or the other, already stated that they’re gonna continue to say what they want and think that these new rules are ridiculous. Lewis Hamilton made it very clear that no rules will stop him from speaking his mind on issues that he feels he should speak about.


Lewis Hamilton unconcerned with new rules, believes progress has been seen after him speaking out

Lewis Hamilton will not stop speaking out against individuals and corporations who need to be held accountable for their actions. He believes that the past few years have shown the power to bring awareness to social issues, sparking conversations, and holding people and organizations accountable.

Many believe that the new rule comes after drivers like Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel used their platforms to speak out on issues like diversity, environment, and racism.

The FIA's new regulations have caused confusion and concern among some drivers. They feel a responsibility to use their platform to raise awareness about important issues.

The FIA launched the We Race as One campaign in 2020 to combat inequality and promote sustainability. Some drivers worry that the new rule is moving away from the campaign's goals.

Quick Links

Edited by Akshay Saraswat
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications