Racist derailment: Piquet apologizes

Created: 06/29/2022, 15:12

Former Formula 1 driver Nelson Piquet.

© Janos Marjai/MTI/EPA//dpa/Archive image

After Nelson Piquet's racist derailment, the three-time world champion publicly apologized to Formula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton.

Rio de Janeiro - The Brazilian rejected a racist background in a statement and sees himself misinterpreted.

"My heartfelt apologies to everyone involved including Lewis who is an incredible driver but the translation in some media now circulating on social media is incorrect.

Discrimination has no place in Formula 1 or in society and I am happy to clarify my thoughts in this regard," the statement said.

Previously, earlier statements by Piquet (69) had appeared in which he had denigrated Hamilton (37) in an interview.

"What I said was thoughtless and I'm not disputing it, but I want to clarify that the term used is one that has been widely and historically colloquially used in Brazilian Portuguese as a synonym for 'guy' or 'person "is used and was never meant to be offensive," it said.

"I would never use the word I'm accused of in some translations.

I firmly reject any suggestion that I used the word with the aim of belittling a driver because of the color of his skin," Piquet said.

dpa