F1 Receives Backlash For Airing "Lewis Hamilton 8-Time World Champion" Shirt

This was a risky move from F1!

F1 have received a mixed response when they filmed a fan at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix holding a t-shirt reading, "Lewis Hamilton 8-time Champion of the WORLD". 

After the controversy revolving around the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where Max Verstappen clinched the title of world champion over the British driver after safety car confusion, the effects of this are still being seen with this being the latest example. 

During a clip that showed Lewis Hamilton indicating a stray tear-off strip to a cameraman who shot over to pick it up, F1 then focussed in on a fan waving the t-shirt in question with this feed being aired on Sky Sports F1 live.

8-time Champion of the WORLD#AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/9sACNUMBc8

— F1 Dimension (@F1Dimension) April 29, 2023

"Seriously? With the shot of the t shirt... How is that even an unbiased camera report..." one fan asked on Reddit. [sic].

Over on Twitter, fans shared a similar reaction:

"Ooo F1 showing a ‘Lewis Hamilton, 8 time world champion’ t-shirt on the world feed is a risky move." [sic].

Ooo @F1 showing a ‘Lewis Hamilton, 8 time world champion’ t-shirt on the world feed is a risky move 😬😬

— Gio (@Gio_57) April 29, 2023

Another added: "Whoever broadcasted that lewis hamilton 8 time world champion shirt is getting a b*llocking." [sic]

A third noted that it could be disrespectful for Verstappen: "F1 showing that “Lewis 8 time World Champion t-shirt” is very disrespectful to Max. Smh" [sic]

Sky just showed on their coverage someone holding a T-shirt with:

Lewis Hamilton 8 time champion of the world

🤦🏻 #F1 #LH44 #AzerbaijanGP

— FormulaNerds 🤓🏁 (@Formula_Nerds) April 29, 2023

F1 zooming in on the “Lewis Hamilton 8 time world champion t shirt” pic.twitter.com/R6CanDrgya

— Kulpreet Virdi #ACSisterhood 🐍 (@kulpreetvirdi) April 29, 2023

This isn't the first time Sky Sports F1 have come under scrutiny for bias towards Lewis and other British drivers, and fans were quick to pick up on it:

Crofty and Karun after they saw the LH 8 time world champion t-shirt live on their feed 😅 #AzerbaijanGP

pic.twitter.com/uTLvc3VvFt

— ahmed baokbah 🇸🇦🏎✈️ (@ahmed_baokbah) April 29, 2023

With Hamilton qualifying 6th in today's Azerbaijan Sprint Shootout, he'll have a job on his hands to gain places on the tight Baku streets. His teammate Russell qualified in P4, but it was Ferrari's Charles Leclerc who finally had a good weekend qualifying on pole for both the sprint and the Grand Prix.