2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Daniel Moxon)
The FIA president doesn't help himself, does he? Mohammed ben Sulayem 's reputation in the F1 paddock is already pretty bruised, having been involved in several controversies. And he opened his mouth ahead of this weekend's race in Singapore , so naturally there is a fresh one. This time, he said drivers should stop swearing behind the wheel and, for some reason, said he doesn't want them to be like 'rappers'.
It's a pretty daft comparison to make and, as Lewis Hamilton pointed out, there was a 'racial element' to it . And his main point is complete nonsense anyway. F1 drivers already have plenty to worry about as they navigate a track at over 200mph, seeking milliseconds of time while changing settings on their steering wheel several times per lap.
Not to mention the ever-present threat of smashing into a wall if they have just one tiny lapse in concentration. It's a high-pressure, high-octane environment and it's entirely unreasonable to expect them to mind their language. Like Max Verstappen said: They're not five-year-olds.
They're elite sportspeople who just happen to have a microphone under their noses as they give everything to win. If footballers were mic'd up, imagine some of the things you'd hear! If Ben Sulayem wants to win the approval of F1 stakeholders and fans, he should focus on actually improving the FIA 's governance of the sport. --- McLaren are right to be keeping more of an eye on Ferrari than Red Bull in their teams' championship push.
Lando Norris said the Italians are a bigger threat despite being further behind, and it's hard to disagree. Red Bull look lost while Ferrari are the ones who are keeping McLaren honest at the moment. Singapore is a bogey track for Verstappen's team at the best of times and they expect to struggle again this weekend.
Ferrari are only 31 points behind them and, by Monday morning, could be breathing down their necks for second place in the standings. From the archive Lewis Hamilton produced one of the greatest ever F1 laps with a flawless performance in qualifying for the 2018 race, silencing Niki Lauda who had complained about his activities outside F1. Fast fact F1 drivers lose an average of around 3kg in sweat during the Singapore race, due to the stifling humidity and demands of the tough street circuit.
Inside track The writing looks to be on the wall for Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull will decide before the next race in Austin whether to replace him with Liam Lawson now, or to wait until next season. Catch all the action from Formula One on Sky Sports and get exclusive access to races, qualifying and much more for every Grand Prix. From Max Verstappen to Lewis Hamilton, you won't miss a lap on Sky Sports.
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