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Nelson Piquet Fined Nearly $1 Million Over Racist and Homophobic Remarks

The former Formula One champion was fined nearly $1 million in connection to racist and homophobic comments he made about Lewis Hamilton.

A Brazilian court fined Formula One champion Nelson Piquet nearly $1 million in connection to racist and homophobic comments he made about champion driver Lewis Hamilton. After Piquet’s remarks in 2021 press interviews surfaced, Hamilton issued a response, saying “These archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport,” and “Time has come for action.” Piquet had apologized, but claimed his comments were mistranslated. Judge Pedro Matos de Arruda, in a decision, said the damages were appropriate “so that, as a society, we can some day be free from the pernicious acts that are racism and homophobia.” Four human rights groups brought charges against Piquet and had requested damages of 10 million Brazilian reals; he was fined 5 million.