Lewis Hamilton Criticizes FIA President’s Comments, Citing ‘Racial Element’

Lewis Hamilton has voiced his displeasure at remarks made by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of Formula One’s governing body, the FIA. Ben Sulayem, in the lead-up to the Singapore Grand Prix, made comments about drivers swearing on team radio, comparing it to rap music in a way that Hamilton found problematic.

Ben Sulayem expressed concern about drivers using expletives, despite the fact that such messages are broadcast with a delay to censor inappropriate language. 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, the seven-time world champion, took issue with Ben Sulayem’s reference to rap music, stating that it carried racial undertones. “With what he said, I don’t like how he has expressed it. Saying ‘rappers’ is very stereotypical,” Hamilton said. “If you think about it, most rappers are black, so it says: ‘We are not like them.’ Those are the wrong choice of words and there is a racial element there.”

This isn’t the first time Hamilton has had disagreements with Ben Sulayem since the FIA president took office in December 2021. Ben Sulayem’s presidency has been marred by several controversies, including past sexist remarks, and his criticism of the valuation of the sport, which prompted a legal warning from Formula One Management earlier this year.

The FIA has been contacted for comment on Hamilton’s remarks, but no official response has been made.