Lewis Hamilton has frequently spoken out on issues close to his heart (Photo: Getty)
Sir Lewis Hamilton has reiterated his commitment to speaking out on issues that matter to him despite the FIA’s ban on ‘political statements’.
Back in December, Formula One’s governing body introduced new legislation that prohibits: ‘The general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments unless previously approved in writing by the FIA.’
This move has been widely condemned by the 2023 grid, not least Hamilton who has frequently demonstrated his support for various human rights causes over the past few seasons.
Unless the FIA change their stance on the matter, drivers can now be penalised if they fail to comply with the new rules and while the exact sanctions have not been confirmed, they could well be disqualified from grand prix events.
But the seven-time world champion is adamant such a threat won’t stop him with the first race of the season in Bahrain this weekend.
‘For me… I always say that we need more empathy and compassion in the world,’ the Mercedes man said on the The Fast And The Curious podcast.
‘We’re all human beings and there are all these things that people are finding challenging within different countries through governments, people with opinions, social media, all these different things.
Hamilton has previously worn a helmet with the LGBTQ+ rainbow in countries where homosexuality is illegal (Photo: Getty)
‘We have this platform and I just feel a huge responsibility. I’m not just a Formula One driver and I can’t just, you know, have success and just go about my life. This is a platform to spark change, spark conversation.
‘Sparking those uncomfortable conversations and then holding people accountable who have been happy with the status quo in the past, which has held people down and has made people feel not included.
‘That frustrates me. We can make change and I want to be a part of making people feel more included. Our sport, motor sport, or any sport or business shouldn’t be able to continue with not being diverse.
‘There’s so many different things we need to challenge and fix. We’re also going to a lot of countries where they have these challenging human rights issues, where humans just are not treated as human beings. And in the past people just brushed by it.
‘It is so important someone speaks out in it. I don’t care if I don’t win another race – I’m going to speak on those things and whether people like it or not.’
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F1 returns this weekend.
