It Could Be Different

The FIA decided the time was right to crack down on drivers expressing themselves on issues important to them at the end of last year, floating the possibility of prohibiting such behavior on pain of penalties.

In a recent interview, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali tried to soothe concerns over this action, promising clarification was coming. It arrived and it was predictably awash with ambiguity, attempting to confine drivers’ full expression to social media or non-competition venues while leaving gray areas on what would be okay to say in response to a journalist’s question, a message on a helmet, and what even counts as a political or personal statement in the first place.

If you read our Values (and the tone of that last paragraph), you can guess Vision Corsa’s thoughts on this behavior - but this post isn’t about the FIA failing to lead.

It’s about painting a picture of what an alternative could look like.

Imagine a governing body overseeing properties with global popularity that stands in full support of its icons sharing their opinions as they see fit. It should be the goal of every organization to witness and uplift the humanity of those who are part of it - we’re all people with opinions. Discourse and dialogue is a gift; to squash it is to turn your back on something sacred. 

The genuinely rich environment that could be cultivated in that arena must be a goal. It’s critical to grow as an inclusive space but it will never be reached without the commitment and courage to weather some discomfort, some growing pains, some need for education and enlightenment. 

It’ll be tough.

So what?

Onward. Together. Always.