Nelson Piquet, a retired Formula 1 champion, has been ordered by a Brazilian court to pay $950,000 as “moral damages” for making racist and homophobic remarks about Lewis Hamilton. The 70-year-old Brazilian used the racially offensive term “neguinho“ which means “little black guy“ in reference to Hamilton, a seven-time champion, in 2021.
Piquet also used racist and homophobic language in another interview. The court in Brasilia has directed Piquet to pay 5 million Brazilian reals to funds promoting racial equality and opposing discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community. The charges were filed by several human rights groups, including Brazil’s National LGBTI+ Alliance, who claimed that Piquet’s comments violated human dignity.
Three-time F1 World Champion Nelson Piquet has been ordered to pay $953k in damages for the racist comments he made about Lewis Hamilton.https://t.co/ajgp9IQEsO
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) March 25, 2023
Hamilton, the only Black driver in F1, condemned “archaic mindsets” and said he had been a victim of discrimination his entire life. He received honorary citizenship from Brazil in 2022. Piquet, who won three F1 titles in the 1980s, was discussing a crash between Hamilton and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who also happens to be the boyfriend of his daughter, Kelly Piquet during the British Grand Prix in 2021.
Piquet later apologized in a statement, stating that the racially charged term “neguinho” is colloquially used in Brazilian Portuguese as a synonym for “person” or “guy” and was not meant to be offensive. However, Judge Pedro Matos de Arruda did not agree and called it “characteristics of contemporary Brazilian racism”.
In another interview, Piquet used homophobic and racist language while discussing Hamilton’s previous championship loss. The judge stated that Piquet’s comments implied that Hamilton’s sexuality was the reason for his defeat and that being gay was a negative trait. Piquet has the right to appeal the ruling. However, he had already angered some F1 fans for his support of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and had donated about $95,000 to Bolsonaro’s failed re-election campaign.
Fans’ reactions after fine charged on Nelson Piquet
Here are some interesting comments by the fans after the Brazilian court condemned Nelson Piquet and his comments towards the Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton.
I’m actually disgusted with this guy… Unfathomable, certainly doesn’t belong….in 2023🙃 #NelsonPiquet should be way more.
— VMS (@VMSlately) March 25, 2023
How does it feel to date the daughter of a #racist #nelsonpiquet #LewisHamilton
— Tom Ford (@TomFord83939) March 25, 2023
Some fans went out of their way to include the Dutch driver at Red Bull, Max Verstappen as well as his family due to the ties between the Piquets and Verstappens.
Got off lightly. I hope he’s been banned from attending @F1
— 𝓙𝓪𝓷𝓮 (@KJL1911) March 25, 2023
Good! All the money will be donated to groups promoting equality and LGBTQ rights. Piquet was a big donor to the Jair Bonosaro, far right traitor like Trump. Right on Brazil!
— EeDiva (@EeDiva_) March 25, 2023
It should be more … and his titles should also be ripped away from him
— P! 🇿🇦 (@P_lh44) March 25, 2023
Some fans even said that he deserves more and his titles should be taken from him, one fan said, “It should be more… and his titles should also be ripped away from him”
The three-time world champion was later banned from the F1 paddock and stripped of his honorary status with the British Racing Drivers Club. The fight to increase diversity and inclusion in motorsport has been led by Hamilton, the first Black driver in F1 and the only Black world champion.
The Hamilton Commission, which he founded, produced a report on the representation of colored people in motorsport. Hamilton and Mercedes founded the Ignite charity to encourage more students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue STEM degrees in response to the findings of that research. The charitable organization supports Hamilton’s own Mission 44 foundation.
Although many fans pointed out the fact that racism and homophobia are still a few of the biggest social issues in Latin American countries, it can be said that the comments made by Piquet were quite unprofessional and unempathetic and should not be supported at all costs.