Lewis Hamilton hits back after ex-F1 champ’s racial slur came to light

F1 megastar Lewis Hamilton has spoken out after a triple world champions derogatory remarks about him were brought to light.

Nelson Piquet condemned over racial slur

The Formula 1 world has come together to condemn a racial slur levelled by ex-F1 world champion Nelson Piquet in the direction of Lewis Hamilton.

Piquet’s comments were made in November 2021 when the Brazilian was discussing last year's British Grand Prix on a podcast.

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The comments have only come to light after they were uncovered on social media platforms.

Piquet, whose daughter Kelly is in a relationship with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, slammed Hamilton’s driving at Silverstone where he made contact with the Dutchman on an explosive first lap.

Verstappen was sent hurtling in the barriers and taken to hospital for checks while Hamilton went on to win his home race for an eighth time.

Piquet claims Hamilton was at fault and referred to him with the derogatory remark, which was initially missed by local Brazilian media.

“The n****r put the car in the wrong way and didn’t let (the other driver swerve),” he said in a video released by Brazilian outlet Estadao.

“The n****r put the car in the wrong way on the corner, it’s because you don’t know the curve. It’s a very high curve, there is no way to pass two cars and there’s no way you can put the car aside.

“He did (Verstappen) dirty. His luck was that only the other one was gone.”

Nelson Piquet usa termo racista ao comentar acidente de Hamilton com Verstappen; assista https://t.co/VS7hNBCyYU -via @EstadaoEsportepic.twitter.com/qfPuSnc9mb

— Estadão 🗞️ (@Estadao) June 27, 2022

Hamilton responded to the ugly remarks on Tuesday night, saying the time has come for action to be undertaken.

“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. There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action,” he tweeted.

Hamilton also sent out a tweet in Portuguese which translated to: “Let’s focus on changing the mindset”.

The Formula 1 responded in a statement as they slammed any form of discriminatory or racist language.

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

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

Hamilton’s team, Mercedes, were also quick to slam Piquet’s remarks.

“We condemn in the strongest terms any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind,” the statement read.

“Lewis has spearheaded our sport’s efforts to combat racism, and he is a true champion of diversity on and off the 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 comments come a week after Red Bull suspended junior driver Juri Vips after he allegedly used a racial slur on a live stream.

F1 WORLD REACTS

While F1 have been swift in their response, there is no indication yet what positive action will be taken.

Outraged fans have urged them to ban Piquet from attending any future F1 events, challenging the sport to stand up to their “We Race As One” motto.

Earlier this month, Hamilton was made an honorary citizen of Brazil after a bill was passed in Brazilian parliament.

Fans didn’t hesitate with their criticism, as many called for the organisation to take serious action.

“If F1 is serious about inclusivity and putting an end to racism, then they must take action here. I’d urge F1 to conduct an investigation and, should Piquet be found to have said these words, he should not be allowed back into an F1 paddock ever again,” F1 journalist Ben Hunt tweeted.

All those excuses by F1 drivers about not taking the knee felt uncomfortable at the time, but this Nelson Piquet story really proves how far the sport still has to go

— Kasra Moradi (@Kas_moradi) June 28, 2022

I don’t think there’s any driver that works harder off the grid to push for equality and diversity than Lewis Hamilton. Racism has no place anywhere, and “we race as one” means nothing if individuals like Nelson Piquet continue to spread hateful language.

— Becky Weaver (@beckywvr_) June 28, 2022

– with The Sun