Nelson Piquet receives £780,000 fine for racist and homophobic abuse towards Lewis Hamilton

Nelson Piquet was fined £780.00 for racist and homophobic comments towards Lewis Hamilton at the end of 2021.

A Brazilian court has ruled against the three-time world champion after he was filmed on a podcast using an N-word slur against Hamilton, along with a homophobic slur.

Piquet made the comments against the Mercedes driver during an interview in November 2021, commenting on Hamilton’s British Grand Prix crash with Max Verstappen.

Hamilton was blamed for the incident by Piquet, whose daughter Kelly has been dating Verstappen for several years, before going on a tirade that included racist language. In an extended version of the clip, Piquet also uses homophobic slurs against Hamilton.

The charges were brought by four human rights groups, including Brazil’s National LGBT+ Alliance, which initially wanted Piquet to pay £1.5m. [10 million Brazilian Reals] for alleged moral damage. They have charged you half that amount.

Piquet made the comments against the Mercedes driver during an interview in November 2021.

In his decision, Judge Pedro Matos de Arrudo said that the amount of the compensation was given ‘in the sense that not only the remedial function of civil liability must be appreciated, but also (and perhaps mainly) the punitive function so that, as a society, we may one day be free from the pernicious acts that are racism and homophobia’.

Piquet has since apologized for using the derogatory Portuguese phrase ‘neguinho’ and condemned any suggestion that the word was used ‘with the aim of belittling a driver because of the color of his skin.

Piquet, in his apology, said: ‘What I said was poorly thought out, and I am not defending it, but I will clarify that the term used is one that has been widely and historically used colloquially in Brazilian Portuguese as a synonym for ‘boy’ 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 for the purpose of disparaging a driver because of the color of their skin.

I sincerely apologize to everyone who was affected, including Lewis who is an amazing driver, but the translation in some media now circulating on social media is not correct.

“Discrimination has no place in F1 or in society and I am happy to clarify my thoughts on the matter.”

Hamilton responded to the original comment made public, writing ‘Imagine’ alongside a tweet that read: ‘What if Lewis Hamilton just tweeted, ‘Who the hell is Nelson Piquet?’

The 37-year-old added: ‘It’s more than a language. These are archaic mentalities that must change and have no place in our sport. I have been surrounded by these attitudes and directed my entire life. There has been a lot of time to learn. The moment to act has come.

Piquet has since apologized for his comments, admitting that his comments were “ill-considered”.

Hamilton initially responded to the comments, calling for a ‘change’ to the ‘archaic mindset’

He also posted a message in Portuguese, Piquet’s native language, which read: ‘let’s focus on changing the mindset’.

Both Formula 1 and Hamilton’s Mercedes team also condemned Piquet’s comments.

“Racist or discriminatory language is unacceptable in any form and is not part of society,” F1 said in a statement, while Mercedes added: “We condemn in the strongest terms any use of discriminatory or racist language of any kind.” .

“Lewis has spearheaded our sport’s efforts to combat racism, and is a true champion of diversity on and off the court.”

Hamilton, who was granted honorary Brazilian citizenship in June 2021, is the sport’s only black driver.

Piquet’s daughter Kelly (left) is currently dating 2021 drivers’ champion Verstappen.