Nelson Piquet condemned for racial slur about Mercedes driver
Formula One condemns racist language after a slur reportedly directed at Lewis Hamilton by retired champion Nelson Piquet as the British drives said the "time has come for action".
![Seven-time world champion Hamilton's team Mercedes on Twitter also condemned the 69-year-old's racist language. Seven-time world champion Hamilton's team Mercedes on Twitter also condemned the 69-year-old's racist language.](https://cdn-i.pr.trt.com.tr/trtworld/w664/h374/q70/0m_134867_000_32CU2QA_1656480659232.jpg)
Seven-time world champion Hamilton's team Mercedes on Twitter also condemned the 69-year-old's racist language.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Formula One have condemned former world champion Nelson Piquet's racially offensive term against the British driver in Portuguese.
"It’s more than language. These archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport," Hamilton, 37, said on Twitter on Tuesday, adding "Time has come for action."
Formula One backed Hamilton as discriminatory and racist expressions are "unacceptable," and this type of language "has no part in society."
"Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect," the F1 added.
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.
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) June 28, 2022
Seven-time world champion Hamilton's team Mercedes on Twitter also condemned the 69-year-old's racist language.
The Brazilian national, who won the F1 titles in 1981,1983 and 1987, used an offensive term to refer to Hamilton on a podcast, where he discussed a collision between the British racer and his rival, Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen, on the first lap of the 2021 British Grand Prix.
Piquet reportedly used a Portuguese version of the N-word to refer to Hamilton.
READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton slams F1 silence on racial injustice, drivers react
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 28, 2022