Britain's 7 time world champion Lewis Hamilton and other drivers have knelt ahead of every race for the past two seasons in a show of solidarity against racism.
But in a sudden change of plans, Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali says drivers will no longer be given the formal opportunity to take a knee before races, stressing that it is now time for "action" to increase diversity in motorsport.

The sport also announced it was extending its funding commitment to the Formula One engineering scholarship programme for under-represented groups until 2025 and it will carry on screening an anti-racism message before every race. F1’s “We Race As One” branding will also be visible at each round.

“The knee gesture was important for the ones that believed that was an important gesture, because we need to respect everyone 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.” F1’s chief executive Stefano Domenicali told Sky Sports.

It is understood that drivers will still be allowed to kneel at another stage before the start of the race, possibly by their cars.
Domenicali's remarks come just days after Hamilton all but confirmed he would return to the grid, ending his social media silence following last year's controversial title decider in Abu Dhabi.