Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton vowed on Wednesday to continue speaking out despite Formula One’s governing body clamping down on drivers making “political” statements.

The most successful driver in the sport’s history has used his platform to highlight racial injustice, promote diversity and address a range of issues from the environment to human rights.

The governing FIA updated its International Sporting Code last December requiring prior written permission to make or display “political, religious and personal statements or comments” at races.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, an Emirati who has since said he will stand back from day-to-day affairs in Formula One, said also he did not want to provide “a platform for private personal agenda”.

The move has been criticised by a string of drivers as well as rights groups.

Lewis Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grabd Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on 20 November 2022. (Photo: Michael Potts / Gallo Images)

“I wasn’t really watching the news over the winter, but I heard it,” Hamilton (38) told reporters after the launch of his Mercedes team’s new W14 race car at Silverstone.

“It doesn’t surprise me, but nothing will stop me from speaking on the things that I’m passionate about and issues that there are.

“I feel the sport does have a responsibility to speak out on things, to create awareness on important topics, particularly as we’re travelling to all these different places,” added the Briton.

“So, nothing changes really.”

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Asked whether he would be prepared to take a penalty, Hamilton added: “It would be silly to say that I would want to get penalty points for speaking out on things. But I am still going to be speaking my mind as we still have this platform, there are still a lot of things we need to tackle.”

He said all the drivers were aligned on freedom of speech and praised Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali for his support.

Teammate George Russell said the FIA’s move was “totally unnecessary” and that he was confident the situation would be resolved before the start of the season on 5 March.

“We’re not going to limit our views or our thoughts because of some silly regulation,” he told reporters. “We’re all here to have free speech and share whatever views we may have.”

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The first two races of the season are in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Hamilton has in the past called for more change in Saudi Arabia, expressing shock in 2022 at reports of mass executions, and has raced in the Middle East with a rainbow helmet in support of LGBTQ+ rights.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said separately that everyone should be allowed to “speak their mind whilst being respectful to each other. I think that’s the ground rules.”

Back to black

Mercedes went back to black with a sleek new car they hope will allow Hamilton and Russell to fight for wins and titles after a difficult 2022 season.

The team ended an unprecedented run of eight successive constructors’ titles with third place overall last year after wrestling with a bouncing car whose performance was hard to extract.

While Russell celebrated his first Formula One victory in Brazil, Hamilton failed to win a race all season for the first time in a Formula One career that started in 2007.

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“It looks good. Is she going to be as fast as she looks? I hope so,” said Wolff at the digital launch from Silverstone where both drivers were due to give the W14 some first shake-down laps.

“We’ve seen the car now and we’re contemplating, is she fast or not? Have we cured some of the problems? What are going to be the challenges that we spot on track?” added the Austrian. “And that is a big unknown.

Mercedes’ 2023 contender, the Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performace. (Photo: AMG / Petronas / Formula One Team)

“But we are positive, there’s excitement. We have the tools to understand, to grow and develop the car and hopefully give George and Lewis something that works.”

Wolff said the team would be going “all-in” to get back in front and beat champions Red Bull, who have Max Verstappen chasing a third successive drivers’ title, and runners-up Ferrari.

Mercedes ran a silver-liveried car last year and the return to the black of 2020 and 2021, tying in with the team’s push for greater diversity, has the additional benefit of saving weight by removing paint and leaving raw carbon fibre.

“It looks great in black,” said Hamilton, winner of a record 103 grands prix.

The Briton, starting his 11th season with the team and “planning to stay a little bit longer”, said he always believed he could get better.

“I’m excited to go racing again. I feel calm, energised, and have my focus sharpened. I’m ready to do what’s necessary to win,” he said.

Russell said the team had learnt a lot last year “and hopefully we’ve taken a step up”.

“We’re all here to win, it’s as simple as that,” he added.

“We need to see what challenges we are facing but the team have put so much hard work into this car, the motivation and the fire within the factory is just immense because people don’t want a repeat of what happened in 2022.”

Germany’s Mick Schumacher has joined the team from Haas as reserve while Mercedes also have some new sponsors with Qualcomm Technologies signing a multiyear deal with its Snapdragon brand, previously at Ferrari.

The season starts in Bahrain on 5 March, with testing at the Sakhir circuit next week. Reuters/DM