Despite having used his LGBTQ+ inspired helmet at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix without any issues from the FIA, Lewis Hamilton has still hit out at the governing body for taking the sport “in the wrong direction”.
One of the biggest stories of the off-season was the FIA’s range of updates to the International Sporting Code (ISC), with one update in particular having resulted in “political, religious or personal statements” being banned.
Effectively, the change to the ISC means that drivers are banned from making political statements, which led to many questioning whether Hamilton would be slapped with a penalty for wearing a politically inspired helmet.
Thankfully, the FIA weren’t bothered about Hamilton’s helmet, suggesting that the new rule will only come into effect if a stakeholder or race organiser is unhappy about statements being made.
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Regardless of this, the vast majority of the drivers have slammed the FIA for having introduced the rule in the first place, with Hamilton admitting that it goes against what he’s “been trying to do”.
Hamilton isn’t going to let the rule stop him from supporting the likes of the LGBTQ+ community and human rights, with the British driver set to fight back.
“When I read that in the news, it tells me that we’re going in the wrong direction. It is counter to what I’ve been trying to do with the team, and in conversations with stakeholders within the sport.
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“But I expect pushback, there are still individuals that don’t fully understand or believe the importance of having an inclusive environment. I think my job and our job is to continue to highlight the positives it can have and mean of more it.
“I’m really happy that I’ve got Mission44, we sorted that out but now I’m working with the team and we’ve got these diversity charts that I’ve been working on with all the teams.
“Stefano [Domenicali, F1 chief executive] is a great leader and is very family orientated, very much understanding and has already come out against what was said, so we will continue to work together in the right direction.”