Nelson Piquet receives FINAL verdict from court over racist remarks by Lewis Hamilton

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Nelson Piquet has reportedly lost an appeal to avoid paying 817,000 (Brazilian real 5 million) after making racist and homophobic remarks about Lewis Hamilton, according to Brazilian outlet O Globo.

Piquet, a three-time Formula 1 world champion, was ordered to pay 5 million Brazilian reals in moral damages following a Brazilian court ruling in March this year. After initially appealing the decision, the 70-year-old has now reportedly been ordered to pay the fine.

After footage emerged last year from a November 2021 interview, Piquet appeared to use a racial slur in reference to Hamilton when discussing his accident with Max Verstappen at the British Grand Prix.

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Hamilton, an honorary citizen of Brazil, called for a change in “archaic mindsets” when the footage was released last summer. Piquet apologized and said his comments were misinterpreted in their translation from Brazilian Portuguese.

Another clip then emerged which showed Piquet using homophobic language against Hamilton while explaining how the Mercedes driver failed to win the 2016 world championship to teammate Nico Rosberg.

Four human rights groups, including Brazil’s National LGBT+ Alliance, have filed suit against Piquet.

After handing down his decision earlier this year, Judge Pedro Matos de Arrudo said the amount awarded in damages was “so that, as a society, we can one day be free from the pernicious acts of racism and homophobia”.

He added: This offense is intolerable. All the more so when one considers the projection that is given when it comes to a person as recognized and admired as the accused.

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