Hamilton Calls Out FIA President: 'There's Racial Element There'

Friday, 20 September 2024 at 11:18

Updated at Friday, 20 September 2024 at 12:05

Lewis Hamilton called out the president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, for using the wrong words in his latest statements regarding swearing issues.

It isn't uncommon to hear drivers using swear words on team radio when flying around circuits at 185mph (approximately 300km/h), fueled by adrenaline and the heat of competition.

While he says he can understand and relate, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of the FIA (F1's regulatory body), has been trying to reduce drivers' use of foul language.

He also recently confirmed that the FIA has been pressuring FOM (Formula One Management) to limit the use of driver radio messages containing offensive language on live broadcasts.

In his latest interview, the president of FIA asserted we "have to differentiate" between motorsport and "rap music." As reported by motorsport.com, he said:

"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]."

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These comments did not sit well with the seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton who told media during press day ahead of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

"With what he is saying, I don't like how he expressed it. Saying it was rappers was very stereotypical, and if you think most rappers are black, it really points it towards, 'We're not like them.'"

"So I think those were the wrong choice of words, and there is a racial element there, but as I said, I agree with cleaning it up a little bit."

While he doesn't agree with the way it was expressed, the Mercedes F1 driver more or less agrees with the point Sulayem was trying to make.

"When I was 22, I didn't think of it as much, and it was more your emotions are just firing, and you're just saying whatever comes to mind, not forgetting how many people and kids are listening."

"I agree in that sense that you listen to some of the younger drivers, and they've not got it yet, and at some stage, they probably will."

"I'm sure if you say there are penalties for it, people will stop. I don't know whether that is needed, but I definitely think there is a little bit too much [swearing]."