Lewis Hamilton: FIA react to racist slur by Nelson Piquet as calls for BAN rise

The 69-year-old Brazilian used a racially offensive term to refer to Hamilton in a podcast which has sparked outrage in the F1 community and beyond. Mr Hamilton said: "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." Mr Piquet has a history of making unsavoury and unpleasant statements. During his driving career, he publicly questioned Ayrton Senna's sexuality and called his rival "the Sao Paulo taxi driver" as well as making offensive comments about Nigel Mansell and the Briton's wife when they were team-mates at Williams.

The FIA has condemned Piquet's use of language, and in a statement said: "The FIA strongly condemns any racist or discriminatory language and behaviour, which have no place in sport or wider society.

"We express our solidarity with Lewis Hamilton and fully support his commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in motorsport."

The F1 is also considering banning Piquet from the paddock following the incident.

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