Formula 1: Stefano Domenicali confirms 'taking the knee' will stop as sport eyes other action

Formula 1 will no longer ‘take the knee’ before Grands Prix with CEO Stefano Domenicali saying other actions are going to do more than the gesture in terms of tackling racism and inequality.

F1 joined the ‘take the knee’ movement in 2020 with Lewis Hamilton helping drive awareness of social injustice that remains rife in society.

Indeed, F1 has used the slogan ‘We Race As One’ in a bid to improve awareness of all kinds of inequalities, not just racial, and will be looking to build on their first couple of years of doing that in the coming seasons with firmer actions.

That’s because, as per Stefano Domenicali, the sport will no longer take the knee before Grands Prix starts but instead look at potentially firmer actions that can be taken to improve equality and also more diversity within the sport.

“The [knee] gesture was important for the ones that believed that was an important gesture, because we need to respect everyone,” the F1 CEO told Sky Sports.

“But now is the time to move on and take some other action. The action is the focus on the diversity of our community, and this is the first step.”

It’s a line of action we have seen certain football clubs doing in recent times, with them opting to take on other initiatives rather than the gesture at the start of matches.

F1 has been very vocal on the need for improved social justice globally, meanwhile, and it’ll be interesting to see what the sport does to try and further those aims.