Lars Leeftink
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has responded for the first time to the huge criticism the sport has received from fans and drivers following the introduction of rules against drivers’ political statement during race weekends.
In conversation with The Guardian Domenicali responds to the reactions of Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon and Valtteri Bottas, among others, who disagree with the new regulations. From this year onwards, drivers must first obtain approval from the FIA before making a political statement during the race weekend, something that drivers and many fans see as gagging. Domenicali disagrees. “Formula 1 will never shut anyone up. Everyone wants to be able to express themselves, so to have the platform to say what they want in the right way, the better it is. We have a huge opportunity because of the position of our sport , which is more and more global, multicultural and multi-valued.”
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Statements
Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton in particular have been very active in this area in recent years, with statements and shirts that conveyed their message. Domenicali doesn’t want this to stop. “I can’t say one is right or the other is wrong, but it’s good to give them a platform to openly discuss their views if necessary. We’re not going to change that approach as a sport. should be the line of our sport, to give everyone the opportunity to speak properly, not with aggressive tones or insults, but with respect.”
FIA
Domenicali then puts the ball to the FIA. “We’re keeping the drivers updated, we’re meeting with the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association to discuss it, how we can get the drivers to be open as people in our sport. Athletes can be very emotional and passionate about some things and they need to discuss that constructively with people they trust however we are talking about a regulation and the regulator is the FIA I think the FIA will clarify what has been stipulated in terms of respecting certain places where you don’t I’m sure the FIA will share the same opinion as Formula 1, but they are part of an Olympic federation, so there are protocols they have to abide by.”
