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Max Verstappen has given his opinion on the racist remarks made by Nelson Piquet about Lewis Hamilton, saying whilst they were “not correct” he is sure the three-time world champion is not racist.
Speaking on a Brazilian podcast last year about the infamous 2021 Silverstone crash between Hamilton and Verstappen, Piquet used a term which – at the very least – carries serious racist connotations.
Hamilton responded by saying these archaic mindsets need to change, and multiple teams, drivers and Formula 1 itself released statements standing alongside the Mercedes driver.
Whilst Piquet eventually released a statement of his own apologising and denying any racist intent, F1 have revoked his ‘paddock pass for life’ handed to all former champions.
Questions were always likely to be posed to current world champion Verstappen. He was, of course, involved in the original accident, and is also the partner of Piquet’s daughter, Kelly.
“Definitely not a racist”
After giving what appeared to be a more PR-prepared statement earlier in the day, the Dutchman was asked again in the press conference.
“I think the wording that was used, even though of course with different kinds of cultures and things they said when they were little and younger, was not correct,” he said.
“Let it be a lesson for the future not to use that word, because it’s very offensive, and especially nowadays, it gains more traction.”
But, despite saying he has not spoken to Piquet about the matter as it is “not up to [him] to do so”, Verstappen insisted that Piquet is not racist.
“I’ve spent a bit of time with Nelson, I think more than the average person in general, and he’s definitely not a racist.
“He’s actually a really nice and relaxed guy, and I’m pretty sure that also the statement he released, I think you can see the word in two ways. But I think it’s still better not to use it.
“As he said, it can be interpreted in two ways, and of course people pick up on the bad side and it gets really blown out of proportion, because I know Nelson personally.
“People of course label him as a racist now, which I don’t think he is, but I fully agree that you cannot use those words.”
Asked if he agreed with the revoking of Piquet’s paddock pass, Verstappen said he thought it was “better to open the conversation instead of banning”.
“As long as you learn from the mistake you made or the wording you used, I don’t think you should be banned from the paddock, especially a three-time world champion.”