Formula 1

F1: Lewis Hamilton Ignores FIA President After Countless Attempts At Getting In Touch With The Racing Driver

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has stayed quiet as the new FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has tried to get in contact with the previous Formula 1 world champion.

Lewis, who holds a record of 7 world championships alongside legendary driver Michael Schumacher, is yet to post to any of his usually active social sites since Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the win at Abu Dhabi at the end of last season. His only contact with the public was during the post-race interview hosted by Sky Sports, but since then the racer has remained silent.

The driver even skipped the FIA rewards ceremony in Paris along with team principal Toto Wolff who also didn’t show up. Despite being forced to attend by the rule book due to him being a podium winner, he and Mercedes F1 chief didn’t show – a move that may be penalised by the FIA itself.

Now, the new FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who replaced Jean Todt for the 2022 seasons, has tried to get in touch with Lewis but had no response. This is of no surprise after Sulayem told the public that there would be “no forgiveness” after Hamilton didn’t show up for the prize-giving gala.

This is what Mohammed said about his attempts to talk to the F1 driver:

“I’ve sent him messages. I don’t think he’s 100 per cent ready to respond right now. We don’t blame him. I understand his position, as a driver, obviously, he is at a different level.

“But there are also rules. As you read in the press, the new president is going to sanction; of course, they [media] spice things up a lot with what is important for others. But for me, it’s not particularly related to a certain driver or a certain team. It’s general. There are rules we have to respect, and we have to respect the integrity of the FIA.

“And I can’t judge anyone until I know the exact facts. In fact, my first objective is to go through the whole Abu Dhabi file. I think of course by not being at the gala, it’s something that Lewis and his team knew. But at the end of the day, we’re human too. There was stress and pressure.”

Hamilton is obviously still recovering from his disappointment after the last season as his win at Abu Dhabi would have given him his 8th world championship win. We’ll be watching out for Hamilton over the next couple of months. Any activity from him now would be something to note.

Alex Harrington

Alex started racing at a young age so certainly knows his way around a car and a track. He can just about put a sentence together too, which helps. He has a great interest in the latest models, but would throw all of his money at a rusty old French classic and a 300ZX. Contact: alex@grandtournation.com

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2 Comments

  1. Regardless of who you support, and I believe both drivers deserved the title, there is no place in this, or any sport, whereby the governance is seen to be manipulating the outcome.
    Personally, I will not be watching any more f1.

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