The 70-year-old and three-time Formula 1 World Champion had used a racially offensive remark in reference to Hamilton during an interview back in 2021.
After the footage surfaced, Hamilton called for âarchaic mindsetsâ to change. In response, Piquet apologized, calling his actions âill-thought-outâ.
Mercedes, Formula 1, and the FIA condemned the comments made by Piquet. He had made those comments while discussing the accident between Max Verstappen and Hamilton. Verstappen is in a relationship with Piquetâs daughter.
Piquet did not make any excuses for his remarks but he did say that the term he used âis one that has widely and historically been used colloquially in Brazilian Portuguese as a synonym for âguyâ or âpersonâ and was never intended to offendâ.
This was not the first interview where Piquet was caught using offensive language against Hamilton. The other interview was him discussing Hamiltonâs loss to Nico Rosberg in 2016.
Hamilton is the only black driver in Formula One.
The charges against Piquet were raised by four human rights groups, including Brazilâs National LGBT+ Alliance. A Brazilian court ruled on Friday that Piquet should pay five million Brazilian Reals ($953,000).
Judge Pedro Matos de Arrudo said that the fine was set as such, âso that, as a society, we can someday be free from the pernicious acts that are racism and homophobiaâ.