Sao Paulo –
More videos in Brazilian media show retired Formula 1 champion Nelson Piquet using homophobic language and more racial slurs about Lewis Hamilton.
Website Grande Premio published a video late Thursday – apparently filmed last year while Piquet was speaking Portuguese – in which the 69-year-old Brazilian used homophobic language to say the British driver was not focused on getting Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg to challenge the 2016 title that the German won. There was also a fourth case of a racial slur against Hamilton, who is black.
For previous insults that drew more attention this week, Piquet has already been widely condemned by F1, drivers, teams and the governing body, the FIA.
In a podcast last November, Piquet spoke about a crash between Hamilton and Max Verstappen during last year’s British Grand Prix. Piquet referred to Hamilton as “neguinho” in Portuguese, meaning “little black man.” The term isn’t necessarily a racial slur in Brazil, but it’s an expression that’s increasingly felt to be in bad taste, and its phrasing can emphasize that as well.
Piquet apologized to Hamilton on Wednesday but said while the term was “ill thought out” it was not meant to be offensive. He added that “neguinho” can be used as an abbreviation for “people in general”. But his phrasing in that part of the video left no doubt that he was referring to Hamilton as “the little black man,” to which he added a homophobic slur.
Piquet’s rep did not comment on the video released late Thursday, when asked by The Associated Press.
There was no immediate reaction from Hamilton or Verstappen to the Grande Premio footage.
Piquet was suspended on Thursday from his honorary membership of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, which owns and operates the Silverstone circuit, the venue for this week’s Grand Prix.
Hamilton has called for changing “archaic ways of thinking”. After former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone defended Piquet on British TV, Hamilton questioned why “older voices” were given a prominent role in F1.
Series director Verstappen, who is in a relationship with Piquet’s daughter Kelly Piquet, said Thursday that Piquet used a “very, very offensive” word to describe Hamilton but he doesn’t believe Piquet is a racist.
Piquet, the 1981, 1983 and 1987 F1 champion, has divided F1 fans in Brazil because he continues to belittle fellow Brazilian Ayton Senna and question his sexuality without any evidence.
A Hamilton hero, Senna died in a crash at the 1994 San Marino GP. Still, Piquet has made homophobic references to Senna, most recently in a 2020 interview.
Piquet has also angered F1 fans for his staunch support for far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Piquet supporters have taken to social media to say that Piquet’s recent video has gone viral as part of a political smear campaign against the president.