Who is Nelson Piquet, Brazil's F1 champion at centre of Lewis Hamilton racial slur?

The name Nelson Piquet is not strange to ardent Formula 1 fans. Whether it be the legendary Brazilian racer who won the F1 championship on three occasions or his son, Piquet Jr, who infamously crashed at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, the Piquet name is not unfamiliar to the sport.

And more, Piquet Sr's daughter, Kelly, is current F1 champion Max Verstappen's girlfriend. She also has a child with former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat. Needless to say, the Piquet family is quite embedded in the sport.

But the family's patriarch recently sparked social outrage after referring to Lewis Hamilton in a defamatory manner, calling him the Brazilian term for a n*****. The action has not gone down well, and the former champion has been blasted by F1's stakeholders, role-players, and media outlets.

It is believed that the interview in which Piquet made the racial slur took place in November 2021, with the footage released in late June 2022.

Nelson Piquet usa termo racista ao comentar acidente de Hamilton com Verstappen; assista https://t.co/VS7hNBCyYU -via @EstadaoEsporte pic.twitter.com/qfPuSnc9mb

The F1 community reacts

F1 has come a long way in eliminating discrimination and social injustices. Though not easy, the sport is doing all it can to change perceptions and create an all-inclusive environment. And comments like these made by Piquet Sr are not aiding the cause.

The FIA, F1's governing body, reacted to Piquet's comments and made it clear that they stand with Hamilton: "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."

READ: Former F1