OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 5:37PM PT – Thursday, December 22, 2022
Formula One drivers will no longer be able to make any political statements unless they receive specific written permission to do so.
FIA, the governing federation of Formula One and other racing series, has updated its International Sporting Code for the 2023 season. The updates included a new article that stated political, religious, and personal statements will require written approval moving forward.
📰: A ban has been imposed on F1 drivers from making political statements without the permission of the FIA.
— F1 Naija 🇳🇬 (@f1_naija) December 20, 2022
As of now,failure to follow the instructions of the new FIA regulations is considered a rule violation.#F1 pic.twitter.com/wjuq34qXmh
Drivers have been known to make political statements through their clothes in past years, this includes driver Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One champion, who wore a T-shirt that said “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor” in 2020.
Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel wore a rainbow-colored shirt with “Same Love” printed on the front in 2021.
Sebastian Vettel summoned to stewards for not taking off his rainbow shirt during the national anthems."They can disqualify me. They can do whatever they want to me, I don’t care. I would do it again."
Seb ❤️ #F1 pic.twitter.com/rmz3ZrMx99
