Hamilton could face FIA investigation for Breonna Taylor T-shirt

The FIA are looking into whether Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton broke rules by wearing a T-shirt highlighting police brutality in the United States at the Tuscan Grand Prix.

Hamilton’s shirt, which he wore during the official anti-racism demonstration, in parc ferme, and on the podium after winning Sunday’s first-ever F1 race at Mugello, read: “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor.”

Taylor, a medical worker, was a 26-year-old black woman who was shot eight times by plain-clothes police officers who raided her home in March. Taylor’s death is subject to investigations in the US from the Kentucky attorney general and the FBI.

A spokesperson for the governing body told Crash.net that the FIA is "giving this issue active consideration."

While the FIA International Sporting Code states that competitors are not allowed to use “advertising that is political or religious in nature or that is prejudicial to the interests of the FIA” on their cars, there is no specific mention to what drivers can display themselves.

The FIA is currently determining whether the T-shirt Hamilton wore is bearing a political message or not.

The six-times world champion’s bid to bring the matter to public attention mirrors a similar demonstration carried out by tennis player Naomi Osaka, who wore a face mask with Taylor’s name at the US Open. A number of NBA players have also recently highlighted Taylor’s death.

Hamilton concluded his post-race interview by saying: “Justice for Breonna Taylor”.

Speaking in the F1 press conference after the race, Hamilton added: "It took me a long time to get that shirt and I've been wanting to wear that and bring awareness to the fact that there's people that have been killed on the street and there's someone that got killed in her own house, and they're in the wrong house, and those guys are still walking free.

"We can't rest. We have to continue to raise awareness with it. And Naomi's being doing amazing, so huge congratulations to her. She is an incredible inspiration with what she has done with her platform.

"We just have to continue to push on the issue."

As F1’s only black driver, Hamilton has championed the sport’s ‘end racism’ campaign as well as being a prominent voice in the Black Lives Matter Movement.

The Briton, who holds a 55-point lead in the championship after winning six of the opening nine races of this season, has carried out the Black Power salute at a number of rounds and has also launched his own commission to help improve diversity in motorsport.

Hamilton also took part in a Black Lives Matter rally in London before the delayed 2020 season got underway in July.