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0 Former Formula One champion Nelson Piquet has apologised to Lewis Hamilton, saying the racial term he used about the Mercedes driver was “ill thought out” but was not meant to be offensive.
The 69-year-old Brazilian has faced heavy criticism this week over comments he made in Portuguese last November on a podcast where he referred to Hamilton as “neguinho,” which means “little Black guy.”
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“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,” Piquet, who won three F1 titles in the 1980s, said in the statement.
“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.”
Despite his apology, the BBC reports that Piquet will be banned from the Formula 1 paddock over the scandal.
Sky Sports also reported Piquet would not be allowed back into the paddock, saying his apology was “too little, too late”.
“My understanding is that Nelson Piquet, even notwithstanding this apology that’s come out today, for the foreseeable future at least will not be welcomed back to the Formula One paddock,” Sky Sports F1 host Craig Slater said.
“I think these remarks he made and the language he used in this interview in November last year has registered deeply with those in leadership positions within the sport. There has been speculation about would he continue to receive a pass for Formula 1 events, my undertaking is that will not be the case despite this apology.”
Piquet used the term three times during the interview as he discussed a crash between Hamilton – a seven-time F1 champion and the only Black driver in the sport – and Max Verstappen during last year’s British Grand Prix. His daughter Kelly Piquet is Verstappen’s girlfriend.
“I apologise wholeheartedly to anyone that was affected, including Lewis, who is an incredible driver,” Piquet added. “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.”
After Piquet’s comments resurfaced this week, Hamilton called for “archaic mindsets” to change, while F1 and governing body FIA both condemned the use of racist language.
“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,” Hamilton tweeted on Tuesday. “There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action.”
The British GP is this weekend.
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