This week, in the midst of a comeback season for actual competition after Red Bull’s dominance over the past three years, Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced that Formula 1 would be creating a problem where one did not exist. In the spirit of upsetting a situation for no real reason other than to indicate that he was, in some way, relevant or to satisfy his attention-seeking desires, Sulayem pushed forward with the notion that the drivers needed to curtail their language over their radios.
That’s right, in the midst of a season when the competition has gotten to a point when any of six to eight drivers might win a race, Sulayem felt the need to bring something to the sport that no one had thought to be an issue. The broadcasts of the races have yielded little reaction in the way of complaints about what the drivers say – other than the fact that they all whine too much or that Esteban Ocon is out there looking to do Esteban Ocon things (though those missives have usually been ones amongst the Alpine organization).
Sulayem, apparently looking to make an issue of something that n one knew was an issue, decided not only to encourage drivers not to swear over their radios but made sure to make it awkward in doing so. In an interview with Motorsport.com that no one would have cared about until Sulayem pushed the swearing story but also took one step further.
“I mean, we have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music,” Ben Sulayem 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].”
In a classic version of open mouth, insert foot, Sulayem opened himself up to the reaction that followed. Lewis Hamilton took the lead on this one by addressing the obvious element. Sulayem could not have been any more naïve in his delivery on a number of levels.
Hamilton responded to Sulayem’s silliness by saying, “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.”
Nailed it. While many feel that Hamilton may be too sensitive regarding the issue it is also important to recognize that he represents a voice from the minority. That is not a politically correct statement but rather to acknowledge that Hamilton is an outlier on the grid. This position makes him more attuned to some the problems of Sulayem’s words.
Hamilton even acknowledged that F1 broadcasts are meant for all ages and that swearing might be something that requires policing. But that doesn’t mean that swearing is really an issue.
First, as Lando Norris noted, the F1 broadcast has the feeds and decides who/what to air. The production side makes the decisions of bleeping a driver or ignoring their comments altogether. In many cases, it appears as though the choice is often to air the colorful takes with the swearing omitted. The evidence points to there being value in the swearing as it adds to the drama of the race.
Aside from these elements, Max Verstappen showed himself to be an unlikely ally in Hamilton’s criticism.
Recognizing the asininity of the whole ordeal Verstappen iterated, “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.”
Nailed it.
What is it that Sulayem really thinks he is trying to do?
Verstappen, however, went one step further by pushing the issue at the opening Singapore Grand Prix press conference. After dropping a few choice words the FIA felt it needed to respond in a way that only an insecure dictator would.
While Verstappen’s punishment will be trivial, Sulayem’s desire to enforce this rule goes back to his desire to police other elements of the sport, like jewelry that came up a couple of years ago or his opposition to drivers wearing any kind of politically minded clothing on the grid.
The question that arises is, just what is Sulayem trying to accomplish? So far, this question raises only more questions.
About the author
As a writer and editor, Ava anchors the Formula 1 coverage for the site, while working through many of its biggest columns. Ava earned a Masters in Sports Studies at UGA and a PhD in American Studies from UH-Mānoa. Her dissertation Chased Women, NASCAR Dads, and Southern Inhospitality: How NASCAR Exports The South is in the process of becoming a book.
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Ben Sulayem would have a %&*#& fit if he listened to the drivers during a &!#%@* NASCAR race!