Lewis Hamilton Got Carried Away, Violated F1’s New Social Media Rules

Although Formula One teams and drivers now have fewer limitations as to what they can post on social media during race weekends, that doesn’t mean they have free reign to share anything they want. That’s a lesson Lewis Hamilton apparently learned firsthand after the Chinese Grand Prix.

The Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver was ordered to remove a video he posted on social media showing on-board footage from his pole lap in China, as it violates Liberty Media’s recently amended guidelines, according to Daily Mail. Hamilton quickly complied with the request, and was as active as usual online during the weekend of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

“Formula One has issued a new set of social media guidelines allowing teams and drivers to film and record their activities to bring the sport closer to the fans,” Liberty said in a statement, via Daily Mail.

“However, F1 does not want drivers posting ‘international feed footage’ as this has been licensed to broadcaster partners, in many cases exclusively,” Liberty said, according to Daily Mail.

Considering Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez were formally reprimanded solely for missing the start of the national anthem ahead of the race in Shanghai, we’re frankly a bit surprised Liberty didn’t clamp down harder on Hamilton.

Thumbnail photo via Mercedes-AMG Petronas