Three-time Formula 1 world champion Nelson Piquet (69) publicly apologized to Lewis Hamilton after the latest allegations of racism – but is actually not aware of any guilt.
Piquet said on Wednesday that he wanted "to clear up the stories that were circulating in the media about my comment from last year."
"What I said was poorly thought out," Piquet said, although the term is commonly and "historically" used interchangeably with "guy" or "person" in Brazilian Portuguese, "and was never meant to be offensive.
I would never use the word I was accused of in some translations.
I condemn any suggestion that I used the word with intent to disparage a driver because of the color of his skin.” This statement is based on translations that show Piquet used the N-word in reference to Lewis Hamilton.
He apologized "from the bottom of my heart to everyone involved, including Lewis who is an incredible driver."
But the translation now circulating on social media is incorrect.
Discrimination has no place in Formula 1 or in society.”
Hamilton: "Time to act"
The Brazilian's statements were made last November, but only became known to a wider public on Tuesday.
In a podcast, Piquet had rated the accident between Hamilton (Mercedes) and eventual world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) at Silverstone 2021, mentioning Hamilton's skin color to describe it.
Formula 1 and the world association FIA reacted, as did numerous drivers and teams, and condemned the words.
Hamilton himself pointed out the deeper problems that led to such statements in his first reaction on Tuesday.
It's not just about racist language, he wrote on Twitter: "These outdated ways of thinking have to change and have no place in our sport." He has been surrounded by such attitudes his whole life: "There was a lot of time to learn.
Now is the time to act.”