Former F1 driver, Nelson Piquet has issued an apology to Lewis Hamilton over a racist remark he made about the driver in an interview he granted last year that only recently resurfaced. Piquet said that his comment was “ill-thought-out” but denied that he had any racial intent behind it.
These past two days, the racing world has strongly condemned the three-time world champion over his racist remark towards Hamilton. Even the British driver took to Twitter to air his feelings over the whole thing, calling for a change in mindset as a means to phase out racism and discrimination in the sport.
Hamilton said, “It’s more than language. These archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport. I’ve been surrounded by these attitudes and targeted my whole life. There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action.”
F1 released a statement condemning racism, although they did not mention Piquet or make the statement about him. Some drivers, like Daniel Ricciardo and Charles Leclerc, have voiced their support for Hamilton, saying racism and discrimination had no place in the sport.
In his apology, Piquet also said that discrimination has no place in the sport as he maintained that he had no ill intent when he made that statement: “What I said was ill-thought-out, and I make no defence for it.
“But I will clarify that the term used is one that has widely and historically been used colloquially in Brazilian Portuguese as a synonym for ‘guy’ or ‘person’ and was never intended to offend.
“I would never use the word I have been accused of in some translations. I strongly condemn any suggestion that the word was used by me with the aim of belittling a driver because of his skin colour.
“I apologise wholeheartedly to anyone that was affected, including Lewis, who is an incredible driver, but the translation in some media that is now circulating on social media is not correct.
“Discrimination has no place in F1 or society, and I am happy to clarify my thoughts in that respect.”
But it seems like an apology is not enough to save Piquet, as there are strong rumours that he may have been banned from the paddock for the foreseeable future.
Written by: Leon Osamor
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