Formula One bosses have slammed three-time world champion Nelson Piquet for calling Lewis Hamilton a “n!gga” on a podcast.
The 69-year-old Brazilian, who won the world title in 1981, 83 and 87, had been discussing the accident between Hamilton and Max Verstappen at last year’s British Grand Prix.
When asked about the crash by Brazilian publication Estadao in November, Piquet said Lewis pushed Verstappen off the track on purpose, ending his race.
In a video released on Monday, Piquet said: “The n!gga put the car in the wrong way on the corner.
“He did [Verstappen] dirty. His luck was that only the other one was gone.”
F1 chiefs slammed Piquet: “Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable in any form and has no part in society.
“Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect.
“His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we commit to at F1.”
Responding to the slur, Lewis said: “It’s more than language. These are archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport.
undefined“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.”
dailyvoice@inl.co.za