Hamilton criticizes Ben Sulayem’s use of profanity, stating that “we’re not rappers.”
Lewis Hamilton has voiced dissatisfaction with statements made by the president of Formula One’s regulatory body, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, that F1 drivers should not curse like rappers, citing the “racial element” implied by Ben Sulayem’s choice of words.
In the lead-up to this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, FIA president Ben Sulayem expressed alarm about drivers swearing on team radio, despite the fact that messages are aired on a delayed basis, so expletives are bleeped out. “We have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music,” he told me. “We aren’t rappers, you know. They say the f-word. How many
How many times per minute? We’re not on that. That’s them; we’re [us].” Hamilton, who has had multiple encounters with Ben Sulayem since becoming president in December 2021, believed his statements reflected a racial bias. “I don’t agree with what he said or how he articulated it. “The term ‘rappers’ is very stereotypical,” Hamilton added. “If you think about it, most rappers are black, which says, ‘We are not like them.'” “Those are the wrong words, and there is a racial element there.”
Ben Sulayem has been approached for comment on Hamilton’s statements. His presidency has been marred by a number of controversies. He drew condemnation for previous sexist remarks on his personal website, where he was quoted. He was quoted as saying he did “not like women who think they are smarter than men, for they are not in truth,” which the FIA claimed did not reflect his genuine values. He was censured by F1’s owners for questioning the sport’s valuation in 2023, prompting Formula One Management to send a legal letter warning that the comments could result in “serious regulatory consequences”.More recently, after the FIA opened an inquiry against Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team leader, and his wife, Susie Wolff, managing director of F1 Academy, for allegedly sharing sensitive information, neither party was found to have a case to answer. However, the FIA provided no explanation of the rationale for its inquiry, its results, or how it
reached its conclusion. Hamilton indicated that he has never supported the FIA president, citing a lack of responsibility and transparency inside the corporation. Hamilton was not the only one who criticized the president’s recent remarks; Lando Norris and Max Verstappen also slammed Ben Sulayem.
At a news conference in Singapore, Verstappen, the world champion, described his car as being “fucked” at the last round in Baku and was warned to mind his language by the moderator, prompting him to disregard efforts to calm drivers’ emotions.
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