PARIS —
Three-time Formula One world champion Nelson Piquet on Wednesday apologized
“wholeheartedly” to Lewis Hamilton after using a racially offensive term to
describe the Mercedes star.
اضافة اعلان
Hamilton said the
“time has come for action” following Piquet’s remarks, while Formula One and
motorsport’s governing body the FIA condemned the 69-year-old Brazilian.
“I apologize
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,” Piquet said in a statement.
Piquet, who won the
world title in 1981, 1983, and 1987, was discussing an accident between
Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on the first lap of last year’s British
Grand Prix when he used the term.
His daughter,
Kelly, is Verstappen’s partner.
“What I said was
ill thought out, and I make no defense 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,” said Piquet.
“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 color.”
Piquet is a
supporter of Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, and was a chauffeur
to him on the country’s Independence Day last year.
Hamilton, the only
Black driver on the grid, has been an outspoken campaigner for greater
diversity in the sport.
The seven-time
world champion regularly displayed “Black Lives Matter” on his apparel and took
the knee before races in the 2020 season following the murder of George Floyd
in the US.
Hamilton has also
campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights and on environmental issues. and I make no defense
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,” said Piquet.
“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 color.”
Piquet is a
supporter of Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, and was a chauffeur
to him on the country’s Independence Day last year.
Hamilton, the only
Black driver on the grid, has been an outspoken campaigner for greater
diversity in the sport.
The seven-time
world champion regularly displayed “Black Lives Matter” on his apparel and took
the knee before races in the 2020 season following the murder of George Floyd
in the US.
Hamilton has also campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights and on
environmental issues.
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