Some of the most powerful statements made in sport have come via Formula 1 in recent seasons, with the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton using their exposure for good.
When Breonna Taylor was murdered by police officers in the USA, Lewis Hamilton wore a t-shirt at the Tuscan Grand Prix calling for the arrest of these officers.
Both Hamilton and Vettel have also displayed rainbows over the course of race weekends in the Middle East in support of the LGBT community, with homosexuality being illegal in many of these countries.
In a reported effort to keep host nations happy, the F1 grid have now been silenced by the FIA, with drivers now banned from making any unapproved political, personal or religious gestures.
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Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon have all voiced their discontent with regards to the new rule and McLaren’s Lando Norris has been the latest driver to comment, suggesting that the FIA are treating the drivers like children.
“We’re not in a school,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to ask about everything and say ‘can we do this, can we do that?’
“I think we’re grown up enough to try and make smart decisions.
“Maybe sometimes people make silly decisions, but that happens in life. I think there are enough drivers to have said things now to push back a little bit.
“I think it’s still very important that it’s clear as drivers we can still voice our opinions. I don’t think F1 should go in a direction with the rules or the direction of limiting what we can do or say and influence us drivers because we are only wanting to do things for the best.”
When asked about being penalised for making political gestures and standing up for important causes, Norris has said that he would not hesitate to accept a fine.
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“I don’t know what the penalty is. If it’s a fine or something, I’m probably happy to break it, if it’s a bit more, then not. It depends,” he said.
Norris has recently praised Sebastian Vettel for showing him how to make a positive difference in the world, with the Brit becoming very vocal about important mental health issues in recent seasons.
With the 2023 season only weeks away from starting, the F1 drivers will hope for more clarity on the rule before they take to the track in Bahrain.