Mercedes presents its new Formula 1 car, but Lewis Hamilton is not at all good on a topic. The record world champion railed against the new regulations of the racing series, which should ban “political” statements from the drivers. Hamilton wants to override it.
Even before the eleventh season in the Mercedes and at the age of 38, Lewis Hamilton has lost none of his will to win and his desire to race – on the contrary. “I can’t remember the last time I was so excited to get in the car,” said the British superstar after the presentation of the new Formula 1 Mercedes: “It’s like Christmas.”
Above all, the record world champion does not want to be silenced and stated that he will not let the FIA ??prevent him from expressing his opinion. “Nothing will stop me from speaking out about the things that are close to my heart and the issues that are out there,” he said. “I feel like sport still has a responsibility to speak up and raise awareness about important issues. Especially when we travel to all these different places. So nothing changes for me.”
Hamilton was the first to react to the FIA’s decision in December 2022, when the world association announced that it would adjust the regulations and ban drivers from making “political, religious or personal” statements or comments without permission. The Brit has made it unmistakably clear that he will not be silenced by the ban on the Formula 1 umbrella organization. He also hinted that he would continue to do so even under threat of sporting penalties.
The attitude of the politically committed Hamilton, who stands for the Black Lives Matter movement, was to be expected. It still deals a serious blow to the FIA’s attempt to regulate drivers’ public statements. The sport’s best-known world star and seven-time F1 champion now joins a group of drivers who have appealed the decision. These include world champion Max Verstappen and McLaren driver Lando Norris, who said on Monday that he might break the rule at the cost of fines.
