Lewis Hamilton has criticised FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem for suggesting that Formula 1 drivers sound like “rappers” when using swear words over team radio.
Ben Sulayem said ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix that he is trying to make changes, so there is less bad language broadcast by FOM (Formula One Management), who have control over the world feed for all F1 sessions.
The FIA President told Autosport: “I mean, 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 said he understood Ben Sulayem’s concerns over excessive swearing but there was a “racial element” to the FIA president’s reference to rap music.
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Lewis Hamilton reflects on a ‘miserable’ weekend in Baku and explains how he is coming into the Singapore Grand Prix with a different mindset
“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.
“I agree things need clearing up a bit but it is also good to have some emotion as we are not robots.”
Sky Sports has approached the FIA for comment on Hamilton’s remarks.
Team radio is an integral part of modern-day F1 coverage, providing viewers insight through being able to hear the team and driver discussing strategies, plus immediate reaction to incidents and race situations.
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Listen to the heated radio messages exchanged after the Hungarian Grand Prix race start
Hamilton, who rarely uses expletives over team radio, says he considers the children watching races when choosing his language.
“On one side, when I was 22, I didn’t think of it as much,” the seven-time world champion said. “It was more your emotions just firing and you just saying whatever comes to mind, forgetting how many people are listening in, the kids that are listening, all those different things.
“So I agree in the sense that you listen to some of the other drivers and they just haven’t got it yet and at some stage, they probably will.
“I’m sure, if you had penalties for it, people will stop it. I don’t know whether that’s something which is needed but I definitely think there is too much of it.”
Verstappen: Even five-year-olds will swear eventually
World championship leader Max Verstappen dismissed Ben Sulayem’s suggestion that drivers should swear less, insisting the onus is on the FIA to not broadcast foul language.
Verstappen has been criticised, as recently as the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, for his conduct over team radio, where he often uses expletives.
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Verstappen struggled to contain his frustration with his team as he ended up finishing sixth in Italy
“I think you will swear anyway. If it’s not in this room maybe somewhere else. Everyone swears, some people a bit more than others,” the three-time world champion said.
“It also depends a bit what language you speak. Of course, abuse is something else. I think a lot of things get broadcast nowadays where in other sports you don’t run around with a mic attached to you.
“I think a lot of people say a lot of bad things when they are full of adrenaline in other sports, it just doesn’t get picked up. Where here, probably also for entertainment purposes, things get sent out and that’s where people can pick up on it, discuss it on social media and you get all sorts of trouble.
“So I think it already just starts with not broadcasting it. If you don’t broadcast it, no one will know. Only the team, but with that you deal internally with these kind of things.
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Christian Horner defended Verstappen’s recent radio rants saying he is a ‘passionate racer’ and the team have moved on from the incident
“It’s just probably a bit the world that we live in, within the sport but also in general it seems like people are a bit more sensitive to stuff. That’s how it goes.”
Shortly before being asked about Ben Sulayem’s comments, Verstappen had sworn during Thursday’s official press conference in Singapore when describing his struggles at last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old said he is not worried about young children hearing him use foul language, given his belief that everyone will swear “eventually”.
“That will help a lot more than putting bans on drivers because for example I couldn’t even say the F-word. I mean it’s not even that bad right? The car was not working, the car is f-ed,” said Verstappen.
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Fernando Alonso was unhappy with Hamilton’s speed during second practice at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
“And then, excuse me for the language but come on, what are we? Five-year-olds, six-year-olds? Even if a five-year-old or six-year-old is watching I mean they will eventually swear anyway even if their parents won’t or they will not allow it.
“When they grow up they will walk around with their friends and they will be swearing. So you know this is not changing anything.”
Norris: You are listening to the rawness of a driver
The consensus from many of the front-runners in F1, including Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez and Lando Norris, is that swearing should not be banned.
Norris says F1 has the option to not broadcast bad language and thinks swearing can emphasise a message on the radio.
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Listen in on the radio messages from McLaren throughout the Hungarian Grand Prix
“They can just not play the radios. We are the guys in the heat of the moment, under stress, under pressure, having big crashes,” the McLaren driver said.
“It’s just a lot easier for them to say than for us to do because we’re out there putting our hearts on the line on trying to race people and we’re giving it our all. Our heart rates are so high.
“We’re just putting our passion and our love into it. Of course, there’s going to be some bad words on the other side of it, but it’s just because we’re trying, we’re wanting to give our best and we feel hard done by when things don’t go right.
“I’m sure you have it in every other sport, it’s just not always recorded.”
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George Russell and Toto Wolff hilariously make up after the Mercedes driver swore on team radio
Norris, who is attempting to chase down Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship, suggested an alternative child-friendly feed could be made available to ensure adults can still enjoy the “rawness” of radio communications.
“They get a choice,” Norris said. “They get all the radio and press whether it’s public. You have kids listening and young people, so from that side you don’t want it to go out, but it’s just the passion of the sport and us wanting to perform at our best.
“I don’t think it should be banned. If parents know, they can choose between a bleeped out version and a non-bleeped out version, just like movies. You are listening to the rawness of drivers and their feelings.
“When I listen to it, I find it cool and I find it exciting when you listen to these kinds of things.
“It’s not just nice gentle soft language that people are using. So, I’m sure there’s plenty of other sports and things you can go watch if that’s what you want to hear.”
Sky Sports F1’s live Singapore GP schedule
Friday September 20
8.15am: F1 Academy Practice
10am: Singapore GP Practice One (session starts 10.30am)
11.55am: F1 Academy Qualifying
1.45pm: Singapore GP Practice Two (session starts 2pm)
3.15pm: The F1 Show
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Singapore Grand Prix
Saturday September 21
8am: F1 Academy Race One
10.15am: Singapore GP Practice Three (session starts 10.30am)
1pm: Singapore GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: SINGAPORE GP QUALIFYING*
4pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday September 22
8.30am: F1 Academy Race Two
11:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Singapore GP build-up
1pm: The SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Singapore GP reaction
4pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1’s thrilling 2024 season continues live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend with more stunning street circuit action, this time under the lights at the Singapore Grand Prix. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime