Former F1 World Champion Nelson Piquet has been charged by the Federal District and Territories Court of Justice.
Nelson Piquet caused a huge stir across social media after his Racist remarks on Lewis Hamilton. Piquet discussed the collision between Hamilton and Max Verstappen during the 2021 British GP. The Brazilian was quoted calling Hamilton a racist and homophobic slur in Portuguese.
Piquet alleged Hamilton “put his car there to hit him on purpose,” quoting him with the racist term. He further stated that Hamilton wanted to “take him out regardless of the cost,” referring to his rivalry with Verstappen.
For his actions, Piquet has received widespread condemnation from across the F1 community. Lewis made a strong statement against the Brazilian former champion, insisting “archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport”.
The FIA, Formula 1 and all the teams and drivers in the paddock came in support of Lewis. The condemnation of Piquet has not settled as 4 human rights groups have pressed a civil action lawsuit against him.
Nelson Piquet will have charges of around £1.56million brought against him by Brazilian human rights groups at the Federal Court.
This is due to the #F1 champion's use of racist and homophobic language in recently resurfaced interviews. pic.twitter.com/8pzWm3JPWg
— The Formula (@TheFormulaF1) July 12, 2022
In a recent ruling by the Distrito Federal court, Judge Felipe Costa da Fonseca Gomes has charged the 3-time World Champion. He has been fined 10 million Brazilian Reals ($1.8 Million) for allegedly causing moral damage to Black and LGBTQ people.
The judge also ordered an investigation into allegations of racist abuse by Piquet. He has been given 15 days to present his case to the court. Nelson is yet to make a public response regarding the statement.
Piquet apologized to Hamilton after the incident surfaced. But claimed his comments had been mistranslated, and he never meant to offend Hamilton.
Also Read: Fans rejoice as F1 bans three-time Champion for racially abusing Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton responds to Nelson Piquet’s remarks.
Lewis Hamilton is one of F1’s greatest drivers. The Briton has aced 7 World Championship titles and holds the records for most wins, poles and podiums.
He is also one of F1’s greatest proponents of inclusivity and diversity in the sport. Being F1’s first and only black driver, the 7-time World Champion has been at the end of multiple racist remarks. But with every passing controversial statement, Hamilton has raised awareness around the issue.
Following Piquet’s response, fans, FIA, Formula 1, and all the teams in the paddock came in support of Hamilton. While the Briton posted the following to his Twitter:
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.
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) June 28, 2022
“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.”
Ahead of the 2022 British GP, Hamilton stated that there is no need for such people in the sport. He added, “It’s not just about one person, it’s not about one use of that term, it’s about the bigger picture.”
Also Read: New video of Nelson Piquet making racial and homophobic comments towards Lewis Hamilton surfaces
