Formula One driver apologizes for using racial slur, is issued ban from F1 paddock

Piquet used a racial slur in Portuguese to describe Hamilton while doing a podcast interview back in November, although the interview only came to light this last week. The 69-year-old used the slur while blaming Hamilton for a crash that occurred with fellow driver Max Verstappen, who is also dating Piquet's daughter. The slur has not been translated for English-reading outlets.

"I would like to clear the stories circulating in the media about a comment I made in an interview last year," Piquet said in a statement, translated by ESPN. "What I said was ill thought out, and I make no defense for it, but I will clarify that the term used is one that has widely and historically been used in Brazilian Portuguese for a synonym for 'guy' or 'person' and was never intended to offend. I would never use the word I have been accused of in some translations.

"I strongly condemn any suggestion that the word was used by me with the aim of belittling a driver because of his skin color. I apologize wholeheartedly to anyone that was affected, including Lewis, who is an incredible driver, but the translation in some media that is now circulating on social media is not correct. Discrimination has no place in F1 or society and I am happy to clarify my thoughts in that respect."

Multiple members of the F1 community have spoken up in support of Hamilton since the interview became public. Hamilton himself tweeted a response in Portuguese that translated to: "Let's change the mindset."