Piquet racism row escalates as homophobic slur against Hamilton emerges


The racism row involving Nelson Piquet and Lewis Hamilton escalated on Friday as it emerged the Brazilian also aimed a homophobic slur at the seven-time world champion.

An interview with Piquet on a Brazilian podcast from last year surfaced this week, in which he twice used a racially offensive expression when referring to Hamilton.

But further footage has now emerged of Piquet making more offensive comments about the Mercedes driver.

Speaking on the podcast, Piquet said: "Keke [Rosberg] was s***. He's worthless. His son won a championship."

Asked whether he was referring to Nico, he said of Hamilton: "The [racist term] must have been [homophobic slur] at the time. He was pretty bad."

The three-time former world champion has already apologised "wholeheartedly" to Hamilton but "strongly condemns any suggestion" he racially abused his fellow Formula 1 world champion, claiming his comments have been mis-translated.

Piquet's comments led to widespread condemnation from the whole F1 paddock, with Hamilton himself calling for "action" and insisting that "archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport".

On Wednesday, Piquet issued his own statement where he said he wanted to "clear up the stories".

"What I said was ill thought out, and I make no defence for it," said Piquet.

"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.

"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.

"I apologise wholeheartedly to anyone that was affected, including Lewis, who is an incredible driver, 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."

Sky Sports News understands that Piquet will not be allowed back into the paddock after his comments, which were made last November when discussing the crash between Hamilton and Max Verstappen at the 2021 British GP.

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