'Violated human dignity': Retired F1 champ fined

1 year ago 85

Retired Formula One champion Nelson Piquet has been ordered by a Brazilian tribunal to wage $950,000 successful “moral damages” for making racist and homophobic comments astir Lewis Hamilton.

The 70-year-old Brazilian had referred to seven-time champion Hamilton arsenic “neguinho,” a racially violative word which means “little Black guy,” successful 2021. In different interview, Piquet utilized racist and homophobic language.

The tribunal successful Brasilia ordered Piquet to wage 5 cardinal Brazilian reals “in corporate motivation damages, to beryllium allocated to funds for the promotion of radical equality and against favoritism of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

The charges were filed by respective quality rights groups, including Brazil’s National LGBTI+ Alliance.

In their complaint, the quality rights groups said that Piquet violated the norm of quality dignity enshrined successful the country’s constitution. The justice said Piquet’s comments corresponded to the explanation of radical favoritism outlined successful Brazil’s 2010 Statute of Racial Equality.

Hamilton had condemned “archaic mindsets,” and the Mercedes operator said helium had been “surrounded by these attitudes and targeted (my) full life.” He is the lone Black operator successful F1 and received honorary citizenship from Brazil past year.

Piquet, who won 3 F1 titles successful the 1980s, was discussing a clang betwixt Hamilton and Red Bull operator Max Verstappen that took spot during the British Grand Prix successful 2021. His girl Kelly Piquet is Verstappen’s girlfriend.

Piquet aboriginal apologised successful a connection for the “ill thought out” radical word but said it “is 1 that has wide and historically been utilized colloquially successful Brazilian Portuguese arsenic a synonym for ‘guy’ oregon ‘person’ and was ne'er intended to offend.”

In his decision, justice Pedro Matos de Arruda said “subtlety is 1 of the characteristics of modern Brazilian racism” and that the connection is “not an affectionate nickname.”

Piquet had utilized racist and homophobic connection successful the different interrogation erstwhile discussing Hamilton missing retired connected a erstwhile championship.

Piquet’s comments implied if Hamilton hadn’t been gay, “he would person won the championship. ... Therefore, being cheery would beryllium a antagonistic characteristic," the justice said successful his decision.

The retired operator has the close to entreaty the ruling.

Piquet had angered immoderate F1 fans for his enactment of erstwhile far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. He donated astir $95,000 to Bolsonaro's failed re-election bid.

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