Hamilton won't face action if he 'takes a knee' in Austria

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton will not face any disciplinary action if he decides to 'take a knee' during the F1 season opener in Austria next month.

After being vocal on social media about his support of the Black Lives Matter movement in recent weeks, the Daily Mail reports that Hamilton could take a knee in Austria to further his backing of the movement.

In response to the report, F1 confirms that it will allow all 20 drivers to do so if they wish, and assured that no action will be taken against any driver who wishes to do so.

F1 joins sports such as the Premier League in allowing its athletes to take a knee without disciplinary action in order to show their support to the ongoing racial injustice and police brutality in the US.

“This is a very important issue and we support anyone who wants to show their support in the fight against racism,” an F1 spokesperson stated.

Hamilton, who is currently the sport's only black driver has spoken out against racial injustice in recent weeks after the death of Geroge Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis last May, urging his fellow drivers and team members to do the same on social media.

In turn, the six-time world champion received praise from fellow members of the F1 community, including fellow drivers, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and F1's managing director Ross Brawn.

Brawn, speaking about Hamilton's recent support for the movement to Sky Sports, assured that F1 fully supports Hamilton's views on current racial injustice, claiming his points and concerns to be valid.

“Lewis is a great ambassador for the sport and his comments are very valid," Brawn commented. "We support him completely.”