June 29, (THEWILL) – Nelson Piquet has apologised for comments, he admitted were, “ill thought out” directed at Sir Lewis Hamilton, but insisted that his remarks were neither racist nor “intended to offend.”
Piquet, a three-time Formula One world champion, referred to Hamilton in a podcast using a racial slur and as THEWILL reported, the Formula One community strongly disagreed with his remarks, with Hamilton himself stating that “archaic mindsets need to change.”
A Piquet statement read: “I would like to clear up the stories circulating in the media about a comment I made in an interview last year. 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.”
The BBC has claimed that Piquet will not be permitted back into the F1 paddocks as a result of his remarks. There has not been a response from Red Bull, whose lead driver, Max Verstappen, is a partner of Piquet’s daughter, Kelly, despite overwhelming condemnation of the statements and unwavering support for Hamilton across Formula One.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
