Formula One drivers will gather again in a moment of unity on the starting grid pre-race this season but in support of wider social and environmental issues than a sole focus on anti-racism.
The sport this week announced international advocacy organisation Global Citizen as a charity partner of Formula One’s WeRaceAsOne platform, which was launched last year with equality and diversity at its core.
« The whole of Formula One is united in its support for WeRaceAsOne and the drivers will all show their own support for the initiative ahead of the grand prix, » a Formula One spokesman said.
« The drivers will be free to show their commitment in their own way before the race and there will be no requirement for them to make a specific gesture.
« The important thing is all of them being together in full support of our initiatives on sustainability, diversity and inclusion and community. »
What is billed as a record 23-round season, pandemic permitting, starts in Bahrain on Sunday.
Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton, the sport’s only Black driver, took a knee before races last year while wearing a Black Lives Matter mask or T-shirt but some of the other drivers remained standing.
They all wore anti-racism T-shirts and also featured in an ‘End Racism’ video broadcast before the race.
The drivers and Formula One’s new chief executive Stefano Domenicali discussed the 2021 pre-race arrangements during recent testing in Bahrain.
« I don’t think it’s the most important thing that everyone does and takes the knee, » Hamilton had said earlier in the year.
« I think it’s more the action that we take in the background.
« So we’ll see how we can collectively work together to make sure we’re leading more in this sport and not necessarily having to be taking a knee. »
Hamilton has set up a commission to help increase the representation of Black people in British motorsport and he and Mercedes have announced a foundation dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the sport.
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/31127921/f1-drivers-pre-race-stance-broadens-end-racism
