FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem hailed Formula 1 drivers as "the stars of the show" – but warned them saying the wrong thing could land them in hot water.
Several drivers, in recent years especially, have used their platforms to promote good causes. Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel were two of the most active in that regard, highlighting social injustices such as racism and homophobia as well as raising awareness of climate change.
There was nothing stopping them from doing that – but there is now. The FIA has now made it illegal for any driver to protest in a way which isn't pre-approved by the governing body, in a move it says brings it in line with other major sporting organisations such as FIFA and the IOC.
That move was made official last month, but on Tuesday Ben Sulayem made it clear it will be enforced. "You can use sport for peace reasons... But one thing we don't want is to have the FIA as a platform for private personal agenda," he told reporters.
"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."
Such protests have upset some countries in the past. For example, Vettel's comments against a "climate crime" in Canada prompted a furious public response from politician Sonya Savage, who blasted the German as a "hypocrite". Promotion of LGBTQ+ rights in conservative Middle-Eastern countries have also caused a stir in recent years.
It is not yet known if such statements would be pre-approved by the FIA – or what the exact penalty would be for a driver who ignores this new rue – though Ben Sulayem hinted he would be against such protests as he insisted this move will "clean up" F1.
He added: "I have my own personal things, OK, but it doesn't mean I will use the FIA to do it. 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."
