Shut up and drive!

[hollus]

Those things you mentioned, Wesley, are the very definition of politics.
Think of politics ad law-making, then multiply by 190 countries with their own version of “normal”, “tolerable”, forbidden, allowed and mandatory.
And remember that those 190 have different versions of it all.
Hell, think of laws appliying in your own county 100 years ago or even 50 years ago.
If a right appeared or dissapeared from the law code, politicians did it. Hence it is politics.

[basti313]

Drivers are contracted not employed, that does change the dynamics.
And they are contracted with the team not the FIA (see the Robert de Niro speech)

Well, FIA or FIFA have one target: Act like a franchise, like NFL for example. This is how you make money. And this is why they try to make rules like a franchise organisation.

[tpe]

One note.
People are not equal. We are not capable to drive an F1 car as fast as those 20 drivers can.
But we demand to be treated equally. Treatment must be equal, must be the same in any civilized society.

[Big Tea]

TBH, I watch F1 (and other sport) for enjoyment and escapism. Even if I am in favour of their cause, it annoys me that 'the real world' is interfering in my entertainment. If I felt strongly about the cause, I would be on a rally for it not watching TV.

I quite understand that a driver that feels strongly uses his position to front a cause, but would prefer he did it on the other 5 days of the week.

Yes, selfish, but its life.

[Edax]

TBH, I watch F1 (and other sport) for enjoyment and escapism. Even if I am in favour of their cause, it annoys me that 'the real world' is interfering in my entertainment. If I felt strongly about the cause, I would be on a rally for it not watching TV.

I quite understand that a driver that feels strongly uses his position to front a cause, but would prefer he did it on the other 5 days of the week.

Yes, selfish, but its life.

Selfish maybe but guilty here as well.

And now that you mention it maybe the main function of F1 is escapism or moral relief. I mean we all know that it is bad to punch someone the face, yet we all like a good boxing match.

Trying to mould F1 in all kind of moral and ethical templates, negates the function of F1 namely to provide a relieve valve for the daily constrains society puts on us.

Perhaps F1 is meant to be loud and polluting and perhaps a bit sexist and we should accept it as such.

[Andres125sx]

Problem when a star defends a cause is that I always think... "who will be manipulating him this time", because any star knows nothing about real life, someone told him, and we all know that is the most basic form of manipulation

Also agree with BigTea, when I´m watching any entertainment, I don´t like to be reminded about how disgusting is the real world, I know, actually much better than Hamilton or any other star

[Tiny73]

So what you’re saying is that F1 drivers who have a platform and a following, who kids look up to, who people admire or aspire to be, should just shut up about injustice? I’m no social justice warrior by any stretch of the imagination but what you’re advocating, or supporting at least, is corporate censorship to benefit no one but the paymasters of F1.

It’s the thin end of the wedge when those who have a voice that can reach far further than us mere individuals are told to stay quiet for the good of the show.

Look up Martin Niemoller’s poem and see if it still holds true today.

[Big Tea]

So what you’re saying is that F1 drivers who have a platform and a following, who kids look up to, who people admire or aspire to be, should just shut up about injustice? I’m no social justice warrior by any stretch of the imagination but what you’re advocating, or supporting at least, is corporate censorship to benefit no one but the paymasters of F1.

It’s the thin end of the wedge when those who have a voice that can reach far further than us mere individuals are told to stay quiet for the good of the show.

Look up Martin Niemoller’s poem and see if it still holds true today.

They do not feel strongly enough to be professional politicians though, they prefer high earnings and a chic lifestyle. How much slack should we cut them then?

[kptaylor]

I think more the point here is the FIA don't want drivers pointing out their hypocrisy of doing business with "bad actor" nations. And I mean that based upon Western nation standards. I get that some of these countries feel it's within their rights to oppress groups/ethnicities/races/etc, but modern nations shouldn't encourage or ignore that just for the money.

[Tiny73]

So what you’re saying is that F1 drivers who have a platform and a following, who kids look up to, who people admire or aspire to be, should just shut up about injustice? I’m no social justice warrior by any stretch of the imagination but what you’re advocating, or supporting at least, is corporate censorship to benefit no one but the paymasters of F1.

It’s the thin end of the wedge when those who have a voice that can reach far further than us mere individuals are told to stay quiet for the good of the show.

Look up Martin Niemoller’s poem and see if it still holds true today.

They do not feel strongly enough to be professional politicians though, they prefer high earnings and a chic lifestyle. How much slack should we cut them then?

Who says they do t, most of them are barely out of diapers. Who’s to say they don’t go on to be politicians?

[proteus]

So what you’re saying is that F1 drivers who have a platform and a following, who kids look up to, who people admire or aspire to be, should just shut up about injustice? I’m no social justice warrior by any stretch of the imagination but what you’re advocating, or supporting at least, is corporate censorship to benefit no one but the paymasters of F1.

It’s the thin end of the wedge when those who have a voice that can reach far further than us mere individuals are told to stay quiet for the good of the show.

Look up Martin Niemoller’s poem and see if it still holds true today.

I really dont understand what reach their voices have exactly? It is on us "individuals" to be smart and caring by default - and that is achieved mostly by good parenting and common sense. Anyone who needs a celebrity to guide its life, has a serious problem. Especially if that celebrity still owns full garage of gas guzzling V12 cars, jachts, planes, residents and travels all arround the globe nonstop, spending vast amounts of fuel and resources, while preaching how YOU need to start making changes in your life.

In terms of enviroment - if i am a bit sarcastic:

I am fully willing to make a green transition right away. I just need a celebrity to give me arround 300 - 500k euros for a new electric car, new passive house, a greenshouse, solar panels, improved energy saving appliances and i am good to go. I can cut my carbon footprint by atleast 75% this way. Less talking from them and more action.

[AR3-GP]

So what you’re saying is that F1 drivers who have a platform and a following, who kids look up to, who people admire or aspire to be, should just shut up about injustice? I’m no social justice warrior by any stretch of the imagination but what you’re advocating, or supporting at least, is corporate censorship to benefit no one but the paymasters of F1.

It’s the thin end of the wedge when those who have a voice that can reach far further than us mere individuals are told to stay quiet for the good of the show.

Look up Martin Niemoller’s poem and see if it still holds true today.

For what it's worth, I generally think that Vettel and Hamilton are well meaning people, even if their actions are not always perfect. But I think you have to be fairer. These F1 drivers have a massive platform that exist outside of an FIA branded GP weekend. Look at the number of social media followers of Hamilton and to a lesser extent Vettel. They have a huge audience that they can reach. There is no god given right for them to use the FIA's brand and image, during a race weekend, to promote their own interest. They have to follow the rules.

Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel can organize media conferences, post on social media, and get themselves on basically ANY television network to say whatever they like in their free time using their own platforms. They are multimillionaires and can afford it.

All the FIA request is that drivers seek permission before using the FIA's brands to promote their own interest. This can be financially damaging for the FIA and F1. That is very fair.

[johnny comelately]

It is not the FIA's brand IMHO.
It is important to establish who has rights as opposed to power (derived from money, first or second order), should there be rankings, are all parties equal, drivers are certainly ranked lower at the moment.
If this was so the FIA and their cohorts, who by the way have no oversight or sanctionability, should launch a driverless racing series and see how that works out for them. The GPDA is relatively compliant only because of the contract payment quantity, but if they actually say something non-conforming ...kaboom.

[Big Tea]

So what you’re saying is that F1 drivers who have a platform and a following, who kids look up to, who people admire or aspire to be, should just shut up about injustice? I’m no social justice warrior by any stretch of the imagination but what you’re advocating, or supporting at least, is corporate censorship to benefit no one but the paymasters of F1.

It’s the thin end of the wedge when those who have a voice that can reach far further than us mere individuals are told to stay quiet for the good of the show.

Look up Martin Niemoller’s poem and see if it still holds true today.

For what it's worth, I generally think that Vettel and Hamilton are well meaning people, even if their actions are not always perfect. But I think you have to be fairer. These F1 drivers have a massive platform that exist outside of an FIA branded GP weekend. Look at the number of social media followers of Hamilton and to a lesser extent Vettel. They have a huge audience that they can reach. There is no god given right for them to use the FIA's brand and image, during a race weekend, to promote their own interest. They have to follow the rules.

Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel can organize media conferences, post on social media, and get themselves on basically ANY television network to say whatever they like in their free time using their own platforms. They are multimillionaires and can afford it.

All the FIA request is that drivers seek permission before using the FIA's brands to promote their own interest. This can be financially damaging for the FIA and F1. That is very fair.

I don't think anyone is questioning their motives or reasoning. They Honestly believe in what they are doing.
I am just questioning if it is the right stage to present things unrelated to motorsport or entertainment.

Edit, surely things that are 'self evident' are just that and gain nothing from appearing as a Teeshirt slogan or gesture?
The driver may feel better about themselves for doing it, but does it 'advance the cause'

[Rodak]

The driver may feel better about themselves for doing it, but does it 'advance the cause'(?)

If no one speaks nothing happens.