Lewis Hamilton has been on top of his game for more than a decade. And though his championships played a major part in making him a legend, it was his off-track work that made him more popular and a legend even for those not following the sport. He has often advocated for social causes, voicing his support for many, both on and off track. However, his future activism plans may be jeopardized after the FIA prohibited drivers from making political statements.

The governing authority of motorsports across the world, the FIA, issued guidelines prohibiting drivers from making political statements unless approved in advance by it. 

In an interview with The New York Times via F1FAll Lewis Hamilton lashed out at the decision and threatened he could leave the sport if he’s held back. He said, “Regardless of what the outcome would be in terms of if you have people unhappy, just knowing that things needed to be said, needed to be done because there are so many people struggling.”

“I would rather not race again and have done that and spoken out for people than continue to do what I was doing.”

READ MORE: F1 Old-Timer Lewis Hamilton Once Lashed Out at the “New Generation” Over On-Track Behavior

Over time, while FIA has promised more stringent measures, they have fallen short. But it has promised its drivers support in the past, which seems to be fading away recently.

FIA backtracks on a promise made to Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton’s advocacy, most notably for the LGTBQ+ community and Black Lives Matter, has always made the rounds on social media. It also brought the topic of inclusivity and diversity into regular debates, forcing the FIA to strengthen its measures. 

As per RACER, Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Lando Norris were involved in a spat with the FIA president last year for using the ‘platform’. Later, the president showed positive signs of action. Muhammed Ben Sulayem said, “I value the commitment of all drivers and champions for a better future,” which was welcomed by Lewis. Following all of this, the recent mandate seems to be a trackback.

Lewis Hamilton further voiced his concern over the mandate, saying, “There are still so many barriers still in place. Hopefully, it’s not going to be like this for much longer but it’s just sad to see we are still finding those things today.

“If I don’t have these conversations with people, if I don’t bring up these difficult conversations, they won’t necessarily get discussed or tackled, or energy from organizations won’t necessarily be put into creating more inclusivity.”

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How do you think the FIA will deal with the drivers’ statements? Should Lewis Hamilton and other drivers abide by it, or use the platform for social purposes? Let us know in the comments.