Jul.5 (GMM) Nelson Piquet may be facing criminal repercussions and even potential jail time for allegedly racial and homophobic comments made about Lewis Hamilton.
The comments found their way into the public sphere just ahead of Hamilton’s home British GP, resulting in Silverstone owner the BRDC expelling and banning the triple world champion.
Subsequent footage depicted Piquet of apparently aiming a homophobic jibe at the seven time world champion. He is quoted as suggesting Hamilton was “giving ass at that time” when he lost the 2016 title to Nico Rosberg.
There may now be legal consequences for the 69-year-old Brazilian, according to the Rio-based daily sports newspaper ‘Lance!’
Three Brazilian members of parliament are calling on local prosecutors to consider criminal charges against the former Williams driver, with lawyer Renan Gandolfi saying a fine or even three years in jail are theoretically possible.
“Treating black human beings in a clearly pejorative way, as Mr Nelson Piquet does, stands in the way of implementing equality,” said socialist politician Taliria Petrone.