F1 News: Sergio Perez Hits Back At FIA Ruling - "We Don't Feel Comfortable"
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has hit out at the recent FIA ruling which prohibits drivers from making any personal, religious, or political statements without prior approval.
Lewis Hamilton brought activism to the grid by wearing a T-shirt in support of Black Lives Matter in 2020. The trend caught on among other drivers, leading broadcasters to jump on the bandwagon.
However, when Hamilton wore a T-shirt at Mugello that had the slogan "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" and "Say Her Name" on the front and back, the FIA stepped in and demanded that all drivers zip their overalls to the neck at future races.
Perez said that he believes they "should be free to express" themselves. He explained during an interview with the press ahead of the launch of the RB19:
"We haven't discussed it with the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers' Association), but it's something that we don't feel comfortable with because we want to be ourselves and we want to be able to express ourselves in any way that we want.
"We all have different views, different beliefs in religion. I get the political side but we all should be free to express ourselves the way we want.
"I just struggle to think that they will be able to control what you are able to say or not to say. That to me is not correct. But we will discuss that."
As the dust settles on the recent announcement by the FIA, the motorsport world is eager to see what unfolds next. The governing body's decision to crack down on drivers expressing their personal opinions has sparked a heated discussion surrounding freedom of expression within the sport.