Nelson Piquet made a racist slur towards the figure of Lewis Hamilton when speaking on a Brazilian podcast in 2021, recounting the confrontation between the seven-time champion and Max Verstappen at Silverstone and referring to the Briton as “nigger”.
Although the podcast was recorded in November, it was recently discovered on social media and the language used by Piquet has been condemned by Formula 1.
“Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable in any form and has no place in society. Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect,” the statement said.
“His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we are committed to in F1.”
The Mercedes team issued a statement below, in support of its driver: “We strongly condemn any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind.”
“Lewis has spearheaded our sport’s efforts to combat racism, and is a true champion of diversity on and off the track.”
“Together, we share a vision of a diverse and inclusive motorsport, and this incident underscores the critical importance of continuing to fight for a better future.”
Piquet, a three-time Formula 1 champion, won the title with Brabham in 1981 and 1983, and scored his third win with Williams in 1987.
At the moment it is unknown if F1 will take any action against Piquet following his comments, but it could restrict his access to the paddock.
The category introduced its #WeRaceAsOne initiative following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, following the resumption of racing amid the COVID-19 pandemic to raise awareness of social issues and promote a more sustainable championship.
However, the pre-race grid gesture used in the 2020 and 2021 seasons has been removed for 2022.
Hamilton has led several initiatives to improve diversity in Formula 1 and in the motor world in general, creating The Hamilton Commission, to try to understand the lack of participation by minorities in racing.
Their report, drawn up after 10 months of research in motorsport and education, made recommendations to improve the level of diversity among those who work in racing.
Mercedes also introduced its own project with Accelerate 25 , helping develop specific educational initiatives for people from underrepresented backgrounds, and helping them develop an interest in STEM careers.
