Lewis Hamilton has condemned FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem over “racial elements” in his words concerning a clampdown on Formula 1 drivers swearing.
Ben Sulayem has revealed that the FIA has lodged a request to Formula One Management (FOM) to limit how much bad language is being broadcast to the audience.
But while the FIA has approached FOM over the topic, Ben Sulayem has contended that the drivers have a responsibility to use appropriate terms over the team radio.
However, Hamilton, who is the second oldest driver on the grid at 39, has agreed with Ben Sulayem’s comments that expletives have become too commonplace in F1.
“There are two segments to that because I’ve only heard of that today,” Hamilton told media including Motorsport Week.
“On one side, 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].”
Hamilton criticises Ben Sulayem’s ‘rapper’ remark
Hamilton, though, was unimpressed with Ben Sulayem’s choice to claim that racing drivers are “not rappers” when addressing his desire to see foul language reduced.
“With what he is saying, I don’t like how he expressed it,” he continued.
“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.”
Hamilton has admitted that channelling the adrenaline that comes inside the cockpit is a challenge that he has learnt to deal with as he has gained more experience.
“It is also good to have some emotion, it is very, very hard and we’re not robots,” he explained.
“For me, the way I control it is that I have over 2000 people who are working towards me doing this and having this position and being where I am with a lot of followers of all ages.
“But it is not about me, even though I have this experience on track, what I do and what I say affects all those people sacrificing time with their families.
“[They are] giving absolutely everything for me to have this privileged position and opportunity, so it is understanding that and putting that aggression somewhere else.”
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