In the round-up: McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has backed the FIA’s decision to bar drivers from expressing political views without its permission.
In brief
Drivers ‘free to do what they want Monday to Friday’ – Brown
As RaceFans revealed last week, the FIA banned drivers from “the general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes” without prior permission in an update to the International Sporting Code for 2023.
Brown defended the FIA’s move. F1 should not be ‘turned into a political sport’, he told ESPN.
“I think it is within Formula 1 and the FIA’s right to say here’s the code of conduct we expect for you to follow during a grand prix weekend,” he explained. “You’re free to do whatever you want to do Monday through to Friday, so to speak, but obviously it’s at a grand prix weekend the drivers have the most cameras on them.”
Russell talks great expectations at Christmas
George Russell admitted he was ‘intrigued’ to see how Mercedes responded to their slump in form at the beginning of the 2022 F1 season.
He scored the team’s only win of the season in the penultimate race of the year. “It’s difficult when you join a team like Mercedes, you’re expecting victories,” he told the BBC. “I felt ready to fight for race wins and championships this year, but you’ve just got to manage your expectations. You’ve got to change those sights, slightly.
“It’s been really intriguing for me this year seeing how the team deal with this situation, and how much I have learned.”
Ferrari junior makes history with next career step
Maya Weug will become the first woman to be backed by Ferrari in an international single-seater series next year when she steps up to Formula Regional Europe with KIC Motorsport.
The Belgian-Spaniard was the first ever winner of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commissions’s Girls on Track Rising Stars programme, which earned her a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy and a step up from karting into Formula 4.
Across 53 races in two F4 series, Weug has a best finish of sixth since her debut in 2021.
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Links
Motor racing links of interest:
F1 teams told they must work to improve governance and transparency (The Guardian)
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