Max Verstappen once defended Kelly Piquet’s father Nelson after F1 paddock ban for Lewis Hamilton racial abuse

Last year, a controversial theory emerged involving Nelson Piquet and the seven-time Formula One champion, Lewis Hamilton. Allegedly, Piquet was accused by Hamilton’s fans of using a racist word to describe the British driver during a podcast. The fallout for this comment resulted in several punishments for the F1 driver.

However, recently, in a surprising turn of events, Max Verstappen has come forward to defend the actions of the accused driver. This has reignited discussions surrounding the controversy and debate within the Formula One community.

Max Verstappen defended Nelson Piquet’s character despite ban

Nelson Piquet, who happens to be the father of Max Verstappen’s girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, became the center of controversy last year when he was accused of using a racial slur to describe Lewis Hamilton during a podcast. The incident sparked significant backlash, with Hamilton’s fans expressing their discontent and Piquet facing consequences for his comments.

The three-time World Champion acknowledged that the racial star used by Piquet was “not correct” but emphatically stated that the F1 driver is “definitely not racist.” He also argued that it would be unfair to label Piquet as racist based solely on this incident.

He said “I’ve spent a bit of time with Nelson, probably more than the average person in general, and he’s definitely not a racist,”

“He’s actually a nice and pretty relaxed guy. Also, in the statement he released, I think you can see the word in two ways, but I think it is still just better not to use it.”

When did Piquet retire from F1

Nelson Piquet, a diligent and accomplished Formula One driver, achieved remarkable success by securing the World Drivers’ Championship three times in the years 1981, 1983, and 1987. Beyond his exploits on the track, Piquet also ventured into the business realm, showcasing his flexibility and hard work.

His final triumph occurred in Montreal in 1991. However, the latter part of the year saw a significant development when Piquet’s teammate, Roberto Moreno, was replaced by the emerging talent, Michael Schumacher. Despite exploring opportunities with Ferrari and Ligier to continue his F1 journey, Piquet surprised the racing world by announcing his retirement in January 1992. The decision was driven by his desire to shift focus and concentration to his business activities.

While Piquet’s presence in the Formula One paddock has diminished over time, recent developments indicate that he is not a frequent visitor either. Reports suggested that due to a ban imposed on him involving the racist comment against the British driver, he can no longer visit the paddock permanently. However, the news has not been official yet.

Do you think the ban imposed on Nelson was fair? Let us know in the comment section below.