Formula One has given us one of the most ridiculously pedantic social media stories of the week thanks to Lewis Hamilton’s Instagram account. Hamilton, the most famous driver in the world and currently in second place, posted a short on-board video of his qualifying lap at the Chinese Grand Prix and has now been tracked down by the powers that be.
F1 demands Lewis Hamilton remove his own video of him driving from Instagram
Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
F1 demanded that Hamilton removed the video, saying it breached their international broadcast rights. The driver immediately deleted the video, but it’s an example of being a little too pedantic with the rules.
This would be like an NBA player being unable to share a highlight. It comes after F1 instituted new social media guidelines in an attempt to broaden the sport’s global reach.
A spokesperson for Liberty Media, the company contracted by F1 to handle the social media strategy, said the following to The Evening Standard.
“F1 does not want drivers posting international feed footage as this has been licensed to broadcasters’ partners, in many cases exclusively. All teams and drivers have a clear understating of this and whenever a mistake is made, teams and drivers are asked to take down any relevant footage.”
Apparently an on-board video during qualifying breaches those rules when posted by the driver who was actually driving. This seems like it would be one of those “pick your battles” type of things.
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