The FIA has prohibited the use of unapproved political, religious and personal statements by drivers competing in motorsport, including Formula 1.
The change was included in the latest version of the FIA’s International Sporting Code, which oversees all sanctioned motorsport divisions.
Under Article 12 of the ISC, which covers ‘offences or infringements and penalties’, a new subclause has been added to Article 12.2, which specifically relates to ‘Breach of Rules’.
Article 12.2.1.n outlines that the FIA will have considered the rules to be breached if there is a ‘general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes, unless previously approved in writing by the FIA for International Competitions, or by the relevant ASN for National Competitions within their jurisdiction.’
Motorsport Week has contacted the FIA for further clarification and explanation on the new clause.
In recent years several drivers, most prominently Lewis Hamilton and the now retired Sebastian Vettel, have used their platform to promote societal and environmental issues.
In addition the new Article 12.2.1.o says a breach will also be considered if there is a ‘failure to comply with the instructions of the FIA regarding the appointment and participation of persons during official ceremonies at any Competition counting towards an FIA Championship.’
Elsewhere, a new Article included by the ISC has prohibited the FIA President or FIA Deputy President for Sport from holding a role – whether as an employee or independent contractor – from within six months of leaving their post.
Good! Keep politics out of sports!
Nonsense. Sport is involved in politics all the time, because both are part of life. If you don’t know that you know nothing about either sport, or politics. And you’ve been blind and deaf during the last 2 weeks.
This is an exercise in how to make F1 irrelevant.
Keep them out of sports. Nobody likes listening to out of touch primadonna’s tell us how to live our lives.
Fifa, Olympics, F1, etc all have no-politics rules. If you don’t know that then you don’t know anything about sports.
lol. You think politics is making F1 relevant? Good grief.
The FIA need to back up this prohibition by declining to approve any and all statements participants may wish to make.