Yesterday, there were reports that Lewis Hamilton would be investigated by the FIA for wearing a certain T-shirt at Sunday’s Tuscan Grand Prix. Today, there are reports that, in fact, there will be no formal investigation. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, issued his own statement this morning.
Here is Hamilton’s statement, posted to Instagram:
Morning World, I hope where ever you are, you are staying positive in mind and body. Want you to know that I won’t stop. I won’t let up. I won’t give up on using this platform to shed light on what I believe is right. I want to thank those of you who continue to support me and show love. I am so grateful. But this is a journey for all of us to come together and challenge the world on every level of injustice, not only racial. We can help make this a better place for our kids and the future generations.
There was some disagreement in the past 24 hours over whether the FIA was doing an investigation at all, or whether it was merely considering doing an investigation. I asked the FIA for comment yesterday and never got a reply, and I asked again this morning. I will update this blog if a reply comes in.
The closest I can get today to a real answer about what happened in the non-Daily Mail, non-Sky Sports division of Formula One media is the following from the PA, Britain’s version of the Associated Press:
The FIA is a non-political organisation and looked into whether Hamilton had broken any rules, but the Briton will not be punished. However, it is understood the FIA has launched a review of its current guidelines and Hamilton could be told not to wear the T-shirt at future races.
So, investigation or not, someone or perhaps multiple people at the FIA looked into the matter and made a decision. Call that what you will, but the episode has been a strange one for the FIA, in that it was always unclear why, exactly, they were looking into the matter at all.