Formula One Star Lewis Hamilton Calls For ‘Action’ After Nelson Piquet Uses Racial Slur on Podcast: Report

 

A podcast appearance by three-time Formula One world champion Nelson Piquet following the 2021 British Grand Prix has caused major controversy in the sport, as Piquet reportedly twice used a racial slur to describe Formula One star Lewis Hamilton. 

According to Sky Sports, the comments from the November podcast circulated on Monday, where Piquet used a racial slur to describe Lewis when discussing the British Grand Prix race in which Lewis and Red Bull Racing star Max Verstappen were involved in a crash. 

The interview was conducted in Portuguese, and Piquet reportedly used an "epithet that can be translated as the N-word," according to The Guardian.  

On Tuesday, Lewis responded on social media, calling for “action.”

“It’s more than language,” Lewis posted to Twitter. “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. There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action.”














 

F1 condemned Piquet’s language in a statement, backing Lewis’ calls for “diversity and inclusion.” 

"Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable in any form and has no part in society,” F1 said. “Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect.”

"His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we are committed to at F1. His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we are committed to at F1.” 

Piquet, who won the world championship in 1981, 1983, and 1987, is the father of Verstappen’s girlfriend. 

"We condemn in the strongest terms any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind,” Lewis’ team, Mercedes, said in a statement. “Lewis has spearheaded our sport's efforts to combat racism, and he is a true champion of diversity on and off track.”

"Together, we share a vision for a diverse and inclusive motorsport, and this incident underlines the fundamental importance of continuing to strive for a brighter future."


















The 2022 British Grand Prix is set to run Sunday, July 3.