LEWIS HAMILTON has been threatened he could be BANNED from F1 races if he continues to push for his personal and political causes.
Seven-times world champ Hamilton, 38, has become a global advocate for anti-racism and diversity.
The Stevenage-born driver also raced with a rainbow flag on his helmet in Qatar in a public show of his support for the LGBTQ+ community.
But now, in a demand that could spark an angry backlash from the Brit, Hamilton has been ordered to ask for WRITTEN PERMISSION from motorsport chiefs before making any “political, religious and personal statements”.
And if he was to act without the green light, he risks being black flagged and BANNED from racing.
The hardline stance was made by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a Dubai-born former rally driver who was elected head of the FIA in December 2021,
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Ben Sulayem said: “We are concerned with building bridges.
“You can use sport for peace reasons.
“But one thing we don’t want is to have the FIA as a platform for private personal agenda.
“The FIA should be neutral, I believe. We need the superstars in to make the sport.
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“If there is anything, you take the permission.
“If not, if they make any other mistake, it’s like speeding in the pit lane. If you do it, it’s very clear what you get.”
He added: “We will divert from the sport.
“What does the driver do best? Driving. They are so good at it, and they make the business, they make the show, they are the stars. Nobody is stopping them.
“There are other platforms to express what they want. Everybody has this and they are most welcome to go through the process of the FIA, to go through that.”
It means Hamilton will now need to make a formal written request for any social or perceived political statement or protests – risking punishment if he acts without approval.
That demand is likely to bring an angry response from the Mercedes man, who believes he has a duty to use his platform to highlight discrimination in all of its forms.
It looked like a determined effort by the FIA – under lobbying from the Middle East and other countries criticised for alleged human rights breaches and anti-LGBTQ+ actions – to shut down drivers from using their voice and platform.
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Ben Sulayem, though, insisted: “I want to improve and clean up the sport.
“I have my own personal things, OK, but it doesn’t mean I will use the FIA to do it.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
