Nelson Piquet has apologised “wholeheartedly” to Lewis Hamilton – but “strongly condemns any recommendation” the expression he employed when referring to the F1 ace throughout an interview was racially offensive.
The 69-year-old previous world champion – who is the father of Max Verstappen’s partner, Kelly Piquet – reportedly utilized a racial slur in Portuguese when speaking about a collision concerning Hamilton and Verstappen for the duration of the 2021 British GP on a Brazilian podcast last November.
But he insisted the word he utilised experienced been mistranslated.
Piquet reported in a statement: “I would like to crystal clear up the tales circulating in the media about a comment I made in an interview last calendar year.
“What I mentioned was sick assumed out, and I make no defence for it, but I will make clear that the time period made use of is one particular that has extensively and historically been utilized colloquially in Brazilian Portuguese as a synonym for ‘guy’ or ‘person’ and was in no way intended to offend.
“I would in no way use the phrase I have been accused of in some translations. I strongly condemn any recommendation that the phrase was applied by me with the goal of belittling a driver due to the fact of his pores and skin colour.
“I apologise wholeheartedly to any one that was influenced, which include Lewis, who is an extraordinary driver, but the translation in some media that is now circulating on social media is not accurate. Discrimination has no location in F1 or society and I am satisfied to clarify my views in that regard.”
The feedback arrived to light yesterday and Formula 1, its governing overall body FIA and Hamilton’s staff Mercedes promptly condemned the language.
Source: The Sunlight
