Hamilton accuses FIA boss of ‘stereotypical’ language

Lewis Hamilton has accused FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem of using “stereotypical” language with a “racial element” in his attempts to stop the broadcast of swearing during Formula 1 races. Ben Sulayem, the head of motorsport’s governing body, said F1 had to “differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music”. Hamilton said: “Saying […]

Lewis Hamilton has accused FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem of using “stereotypical” language with a “racial element” in his attempts to stop the broadcast of swearing during Formula 1 races.

Ben Sulayem, the head of motorsport’s governing body, said F1 had to “differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music”.

Hamilton said: “Saying ‘rappers’ is very stereotypical. If you think about it, most rappers are black.

“So when it says: ‘We are not like them’, those are the wrong choice of words. There is a racial element there.”

Hamilton said he understood Ben Sulayem’s wider point, adding: “You forget that there are kids that are listening. So I agree in that sense.”