Following the update to the International Sporting Code, FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem has made clear that F1 cannot be used as a platform for drivers to promote their various personal agendas.

Though, thankfully, it hasn't yet spread to F1, an increasing number of celebrities, particularly in the vacuous world that is Hollywood, are including the word 'activist' in their bios on social media.

While it had previously become common for celebrities to use their 'star' status for charities, in recent years they have taken more to pushing their own causes in terms of religion, politics and much more.

As the world becomes ever more divided, celebrities have played their part and while in most cases they have used their 'activism' to support a belief, there is no denying the fact that others have used various causes to improve their own images.

Since the summer of 2020, when Lewis Hamilton brought the Black Lives Matter cause to F1, resulting in the sport allowing drivers time before races to show their support, his various colleagues, most notably Sebastian Vettel, have joined in, as have the teams.

That said, questions have been raised about the teams' approach, with some accusing them of jumping on the bandwagon, using the various causes to their own advantage.

Though quick to reflect Pride Month by adding rainbows to their liveries and social media icons, it was noted that in countries where LGBTQ rights are a no-no, the same manufacturers appeared to give Pride a miss.

Furthermore, it was noted that one team leading the Pride charge, had - in the days before Pride became 'fashionable' - fired a leading member of staff after they posted a picture of two men kissing on the team's social media account.

In its support, and not in any way influenced by the trend, or the fact that Chase Carey's wife had deleted her Twitter account following complaints from Hamilton, F1 adopted the 'We Race As One' tag to 'prove' its commitment.

However, aware that all causes can be divisive and that showing support - or oppossiton - to certain movements can cause harm as well as good, Mohammed ben Sulayem is adamant that the sport - and its participants - must appear neutral.

"I am a big believer in the sport," he said, during a visit to the Dakar Rally. "We are concerned with building bridges.

"You can use sport for peace reasons and all of this," he continued. "But one thing we don't want is to have the FIA as a platform for private personal agenda. We will divert from the sport.

"What does the driver do best? Driving. They are so good at it, and they make the business, they make the show, they are the stars. Nobody is stopping them.

"There are other platforms to express what they want. Everybody has this, and they are most welcome to go through the process of the FIA, to go through that."

At the weekend, the FIA president took to social media to express his feelings over the ongoing opposition to the Andretti-Cadillac project, using his personal Twitter account and not that of the FIA.

"I have my own personal things, OK, but it doesn't mean I will use the FIA to do it," he said. "The FIA should be neutral, I believe. We need the superstars in to make the sport.

"If there is anything, you take the permission. If not, if they make any other mistake, it's like speeding in the pit lane. If you do it, it's very clear what you get."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 11/01/2023 23:03

"@ Max...Rivers aren't confusing...but trying to predict their ultimste pathway is riven with inaccuracies over time."

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2. Posted by Max Noble, 11/01/2023 13:05

"@ClarkwasGod - Quite… Unquiet slumber for the sleepers as this confusing river flows toward the sea…"

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3. Posted by Hobgoblin, 11/01/2023 13:05

"so when does a global or basic human rights issue become a 'personal agenda'?
I assume F1 will clarify this with lots of rules..."

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4. Posted by ClarkwasGod, 11/01/2023 10:56

""Mohammed ben Sulayem has made clear that F1 cannot be used as a platform for drivers to promote their various personal agendas"

That should also include himself, who, as President of the regulatory body, should be neutral on issues, including whether or not a particular team should be granted admission to the series."

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5. Posted by ian_w, 11/01/2023 6:29

"Mr. FIA President, "F1 cannot be used as a platform for dictators, autocrats and repressive regimes to promote their various personal agendas" or enhance their perceived global status and reputation with large bribes, er, sponsorship deals.

I guess it's a little harder to enforce that or keep a clear conscience.
"

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6. Posted by didaho, 11/01/2023 2:28

"Yeah, if they want to express opinions they should buy the sport or maybe a social media company.
Free Speech forever."

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7. Posted by Max Noble, 10/01/2023 23:30

"George Orwell’s 1984 lets you know where this all ends… “The Ministry of Truth” and their slogan, “Ignorance is Strength”.

Moderation in all things, even moderation. “Free speech” is different to “excessive, and extreme speech” - in either direction on the political/social spectrum.

Every F1 sponsor is using F1 as a platform to push their own idea - except they pay for the right. F1 should offer the drivers and teams the chance to purchase screen time for a rant or ramble. Then they are being treated the same as the (self interested, but paying) sponsors. All those “Yay, Go us!” Posters around Baku were not about a balanced non-political statement… European GP my great aunt’s duck…

Sensible balance. Gagging the drivers is too oppressive. Rants, tee-shirt slogans, and general silliness is too far the other way…

"

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8. Posted by Superbird70, 10/01/2023 20:22

"For it to be equitable it should also apply to F1 team websites, and all employees of F1 teams. The drivers are not the only ones that get sound bites."

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9. Posted by Burton, 10/01/2023 18:14

"Apart from a driver showing up at a F1 press conference or something wearing a "vote for x" on an election week, I don't have a problem with much else."

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10. Posted by alvarezh3, 10/01/2023 14:37

"Lets asume that I rent my house out. The tenant very kindly has allowed me to visit him a few times and has even kindly shared his coffee with me.

One day I decide that there are some social issues being mishandled by our government and I unilaterally decide I want to place a protest banner on the front lawn of the said rented house. Do I have a right to do that, even if I own the rented property?

Some sport personalities with a GREAT APPETITE FOR ATTENTION think they have the right to protest on a PRIVATE PROPERTY they do not own nor rent.

These sportsmen are usurping a right they do not possess.

Not that complicated nor hard to understand, is it?"

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11. Posted by Mad Matt, 10/01/2023 12:49

"@keni 100% agree."

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12. Posted by kenji, 10/01/2023 12:34

"Bin Sulayem gerts my uptick for taking this line of approach. Well done Muhammed. Some common sense for once. "

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F1 must not be used as a platform for personal agendas, says FIA president

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