The FIA also spoke out after the video in which Nelson Piquet uses a racist term to refer to Lewis Hamilton went viral on social networks and echoed in the international press
Formula 1 officially manifested on Tuesday (28) after the interview in which Nelson Piquet uses a racist word to refer to Lewis Hamilton viral on social networks and echoed in the international press. The incident occurred last year when the three-time champion was commenting on the crash between the Mercedes driver and Max Verstappen at the British GP.
In the video, journalist Ricardo Oliveira questions Piquet about a similar maneuver by Ayrton Senna in the past, and the three-time champion disagrees. "The 'neguinho' put his car in and didn't let [Verstappen pass]. [...] The 'neguinho' left the car, because there was no way to pass two cars in that corner. [...] The 'neguinho' did it as a joke," says Piquet in the interview on November 3, 2021.
"Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable in any form and is not part of society. Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect," Formula One said in a statement posted on its official Twitter account. "His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we are committed to in F1″, the text highlights.
Mercedes has also officially spoken out about the language used by Piquet. "We condemn in the strongest terms any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind. Lewis has led 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 of diverse and inclusive motorsport, and this incident highlights the fundamental importance of continuing to strive for a better future," the team said.
The FIA (International Automobile Federation) also repudiated the event, saying via an official statement on its Twitter account that it "strongly condemns any racist or discriminatory language and behavior, which has no place in sport or society in general."
"We express our solidarity with Lewis Hamilton and fully support his commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in motor sport," the body ended.
Piquet's video came to light shortly after the suspension of Jüri Vips from the Red Bull Driver Academy for using racist and also homophobic terms during a live on Twitch. The Taurinos said at the time that "As an organization, we condemn abusive comments of all types and have a zero-tolerance policy for racist language and behavior within our organization."