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Lewis Hamilton has publicly criticized FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem for his recent comments comparing Formula 1 drivers’ swearing over team radio to rap music. Ben Sulayem suggested that F1 should differentiate itself from rap music, which he associated with excessive use of swear words.
Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, Ben Sulayem expressed his desire to reduce the amount of bad language broadcast by Formula One Management (FOM), which controls the world feed for all F1 sessions. He stated, “We have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music. We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us]”.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion and the most accomplished Black driver in motorsports, found these remarks to have a “racial element.” He pointed out that the reference to rap music, a genre predominantly associated with Black artists, was inappropriate and stereotypical. “With what he said, I don’t like how he expressed it,” Hamilton said. “Saying rappers is very stereotypical as most rappers are Black. It really kind of points towards ‘we are not like them,’ so I think those were the wrong choice of words and there’s a racial element there”.
Hamilton acknowledged the need to reduce bad language but emphasized that the way Ben Sulayem expressed his concerns was problematic. He also mentioned that he rarely uses expletives over team radio, considering the children watching races. “I agree things need clearing up a bit but it is also good to have some emotion as we are not robots,” Hamilton added.
Max Verstappen, the current world championship leader, also weighed in on the issue. He argued that the responsibility lies with the FIA to manage what gets broadcast, rather than penalizing drivers for swearing. Verstappen has been criticized for his conduct over team radio, where he often uses expletives. He dismissed Ben Sulayem’s suggestion, stating, “Everyone swears, some people a bit more than others. It also depends on the situation”.
The controversy has sparked a broader discussion about the role of language and expression in F1, highlighting the need for sensitivity and awareness in addressing such issues. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the FIA will handle the matter moving forward.
