Lewis Hamilton Would Rather Throw $1 Million Penalty at F1 Than Comply to Bizarre New Rules- “Can the FIA Really Stop Him?”

Lewis Hamilton has always spoken freely when it comes to the rights of minorities. However, FIA’s latest rules on expressing political, religious, and personal comments with prior permission have invited fans’ ire. Will Lewis Hamilton pay heed to those rules and comply? Or is he too big a fish for the FIA to control?

Lewis Hamilton spoke passionately about his experiences with racism during the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement. He is also very vocal when it comes to the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. But would that all change now? F1 commentator Jack Nicholls gave his two cents on the issue.

Speaking on the Off The Ball podcast, Nicholls said, “It’s tough to say that Hamilton’s bigger than Formula 1, but he’s not far off. He’s getting to the twilight of his career, even though he’s still driving excellently. He’s still got another two or three years remaining in the sport. So, is he going to be fussed if he wears the rainbow helmet in Qatar at the start of next season? Is he going to be fussed that he gets a million Euro fine? No, I don’t think so.”

“I think he would do that for that level of publicity that it would get him for that level of awareness that it would raise. So that’s the challenging thing when you have an independent sporting celebrity such as Hamilton. Can the FIA really stop him doing anything he wants? I don’t know.”

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FIA and Lewis Hamilton had come face-to-face in 2022 on the jewelry ban as well. Hamilton stood his ground on that occasion.

What the FIA’s new regulation says

Lewis Hamilton is not the only driver who has made social or political statements in F1. Sebastian Vettel, expressing solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community, wore rainbow-striped helmets. Most drivers use helmets to make statements close to their hearts. However, starting in 2023, they will have to get the ruling body’s permission before doing any such thing.

As per new Article 12.2.1.n, drivers will be deemed to have committed a breach of the rules if they show “the 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.”

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What do you think of the newest regulation? Will other drivers comply with it? Will Lewis Hamilton comply with it?