Formula 1 drivers have been told they cannot wear clothing bearing any slogans or messages while doing official duties after grands prix.
The move is a reaction to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton wearing a T-shirt at the last race in Tuscany referencing the case of a woman killed by US police.
The FIA said podium finishers “must remain attired only in their driving suits done up to the neck”.
This must be the case throughout the podium ceremony and interviews.
The requirements include a “medical face mask or team-branded face mask”.
The move had been expected after talks between the FIA, Mercedes and Hamilton’s representatives before this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix.
At Mugello, Hamilton wore a T-shirt saying: “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor” at the official pre-race anti-racism demonstration and on the podium and during the post-race interviews.
He had previously worn a Black Lives Matter T-shirt for the demonstration, but not after the race, while other drivers wore the FIA official “End Racism” T-shirts.
The FIA looked into whether they should investigate Hamilton on the grounds of breaking any rules, but decided against it.
Political messages have long been banned on the podium in F1.
Hamilton said at the Russian Grand Prix: “I did something that has never really happened in F1 and obviously they will stop it from happening moving forwards.”
Taylor was a black woman shot multiple times as officers raided her home in Louisville, Kentucky, in March. The case is one of a number that has been at the centre of civil rights protests in the US.
On Wednesday, authorities in the US decided not to charge any of the police officers involved with her killing, a decision that led to sports stars across the world, including Hamilton, expressing their anger and disappointment.
Hamilton said in Sochi on Thursday: “I don’t regret a single moment of it. I usually follow my heart and do what I feel is right.
“People talk about sport not being a place for politics. Ultimately, it’s a human rights issues and in my opinion that is something we should be pushing towards.
“We have a huge collective group of amazing people who watch our sport from multiple different backgrounds and cultures. We should definitely be pushing positive messages towards them, especially for equality.
“We push towards road safety and you could say that is human rights.”
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
Source link
