F1 to no longer have ‘We Race As One’ pre-race ceremonies

Formula 1 will do away with the ‘We Race As One’ ceremonies before grands prix, instead focusing its anti-racism campaign on “action”.

Making Formula 1 a more diverse sport is a key agenda for the series, so since the start of 2020 the drivers have sent their message before a grand prix starts, which involved an anti-racism video being played created by words from the drivers, before they then came together at the front of the grid.

Drivers had the option to take a knee during the ceremony and although they still may, Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali believes the series must now move on to a focus on “actions” taking the anti-racism fight forward.

“I think the gesture has been an important gesture because we need to respect everyone, as always,” he told Sky Sports News.

“But now is the time to move on and take some other action.

“We needed to make sure what we did was important to show the intention of Formula 1 in things that were really important for the world.

“I think now it’s the matter of [changing] gesture, to action. Now the action is the focus on the diversity of our community, and this is the first step.”

Such action can be seen in the Formula 1 Engineering Scholarship initiative which, following its 2021 launch after a $1million donation from non-executive chairman Chase Carey, has now been extended until 2025.

The scheme has so far supported 10 students, covering their tuition and living costs for their engineering degrees.

It is part of a wider range of diversity and inclusion initiatives, with Formula 1 also partnering with the Black Collective of Media in Sport (BCOMS) as well as The Blair Project.

The 2022 season gets under way with the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit