F1

LEWIS HAMILTON gave a brilliant press conference as he called on Formula One to do more to combat racism.The Mercedes star is at the centre of a race storm after three-time world champion Nelson Piquet used the n-word twice in an interview that made headlines this week.
Lewis Hamilton spoke brilliantly over the racism row he finds himself at the centre ofCredit: Getty
Bernie Ecclestone defended Nelson Piquet’s racist language used against HamiltonCredit: Reuters
Footage emerged this week of Piquet using the n-word when talking about HamiltonCredit: Getty
Former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone then bizarrely claimed he would “take a bullet for Vladimir Putin” and said Hamilton should have “brushed aside” the racist comments.
Hamilton, who has been a force for change in F1, spoke at length ahead of this Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
Here are his words in full.
 “These older voices, subconsciously or consciously, do not agree people like me should be in this sport.
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“Discrimination should not be projected.
“I don’t think in the last couple of weeks a day has gone by where some of the older people who, are not in our sport or have not been relevant in our sport for decades, have tried to say negative things and bring me down.
“But I am still here and still standing strong and trying to do my work and pushing diversity.
“I don’t know why we are continuing to give these older voices a platform.
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“They are speaking for our sport, but we are looking to go somewhere different and they are not representative of who we are now and where we are planning to go.
“If we are looking to grow our audiences in the US and South Africa we need to be giving the younger people a platform.
“They are more representative of today’s time and who we are trying to be. It is not just about one individual, or the use of that term, but the bigger picture.”
He said: “I’ve always tried to take the high road and I’ve always tried to be respectful to these individuals.
“I think it ties back to what I was saying before, just why do we give these guys a platform? They’re not with the times, they’re clearly not willing to change.
“And these undertones of discrimination and microaggressions are just in today’s world are just not helpful and just creative more divide than not.
“I love how Michelle Obama says when they go low, we go high. So I try to continue to do that.
“As I said, I’m still here. It’s not going to deter me from doing what I think is right and doing what I love, which is working in the sport.
“We are living still within the world, there’s still discrimination throughout the world so it’s still clearly all around us.
“You see it on social media these microaggressions that continue to come out and enough is enough.
“I’ve tried to take that higher road and avoid it but no one should have to brush off racism and it shouldn’t be for me to have to brush it off.
Through his own privately-funded commission, Hamilton, who has invested £20million into the project, has devised a charter for F1 teams to sign to improve diversity and inclusivity.
However, not all teams have signed it.
Asked about that, he added: “We need to know we need organisations, big organisations to take a stand.
“It’s now a knee-jerk reaction really [to release statements], from companies all around the world, when something like this happens.
“They probably already have a script ready for something like that, crisis management. It’s not enough.
“Now it’s about actual real action. We’ve got to actually start acting.
“We really need F1 and all the teams that have committed to signing this F1 charter. I’ve done that work with the Hamilton Commission, to work and also to put funds towards diversity and inclusivity.
“It’s not good enough just saying we are also focused on it and just lip service.
“We really need to push for action and that’s why I’m proud of the first step we’ve done with Ignite and that’s not the end of it, that’s just the beginning.
“I’ve got Mission 44 up and running. I’ve got a whole team of people there to really focus on it.
“I’ve got my own money in that and I’m out trying to raise money also to try and really push this.
“There’s a lot of great work that’s happening, but we need more and I can’t do it alone.”
F1 have banned Piquet from attending all future events while Ecclestone is also no longer welcomed in the paddock.
Hamilton also condemned Ecclestone’s support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war on Ukraine.
Hamilton added: “There needs to be some accountability. You know what you are going to get with that and I don’t know what GMB’s goal is, if they were seeking to create and divide here in the UK.
“We don’t need any more of it, to hear from someone that believes in the war, and the displacement of millions of people and killing thousands of people, and supports that person [Putin] who is doing that.
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“It is beyond me. I cannot believe I heard that today. It is affecting all those people out there and all people around the world.
“This is going to put us back decades, and we have yet to see the real brunt of the pain.” More

LEWIS HAMILTON has broken his silence amid the Nelson Piquet race storm ahead of the British Grand Prix.The 69-year-old Brazilian has been banned from Silverstone this weekend after the vile slur.
Lewis Hamilton has been speaking for the first time since Nelson Piquet’s remarks emergedCredit: Getty
Piquet has been banned for life from Silverstone after his vile remarksCredit: Getty
Piquet had already been banned for life from the F1 paddock for his disgusting remarks.
And Hamilton, who arrived at Silverstone in a colourful outfit today, said: “I am incredibly grateful to all those who have been supportive within the sport, particularly the drivers. 
“It has been two years since we took the knee in Austria. Of course we are still faced with the challenges. 
“I have been on the receiving end on racism and that negative and archaic narratives and undertones of discrimination. 
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-xpuujo{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-tqcu81{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-bq4915{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,97,108,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-bq4915:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}NOT WELCOME .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Nelson Piquet BANNED from British GP after racist remarks toward Lewis Hamilton
“I am not sure why we are continuing to give these older people a platform. 
“They are speaking on the sport but we are looking to go in a different direction. It’s the bigger picture. 
“It is now a knee-jerk reaction from companies all around the world.
“They probably all already have a script ready for that crisis management. It is not enough. It’s now about action. 
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“We need more than ever to be bringing people together. It is not helpful the comments we are seeing from these people. 
“People who are not relevant in the sport for years are trying to bring me down but I am still here.”
Piquet is a member of the British Racing Drivers Club that own Silverstone, but will be formally kicked out at a members’ meeting next week.
He issued an apology for his vile comment, saying: “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 colour.
“I apologise 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.”
NO PIQ AND CHOOSE
But Hamilton is not buying it, adding: “I try to take that higher road and be respectful to these individuals but why do we give these guys a platform?
“They’re not with the times and clearly not willing to change. These undertones of discrimination and micro-aggressions in today’s world are not helpful.
“It will not deter me from doing what I think is right and doing what I love, which is working in this sport.
“I’ve had calls with all the F1 teams who agreed to be a part of this charter and it is still not signed or underway. No more can we be amplifying these voices that are just creating that divide out there.
“We have people in governments who are creating more and more divide. America has just gone back 50 years. People are really struggling out there we all have to pull together. 
“There’s still discrimination throughout the world. It’s still clearly all around us. Enough is enough.
“I try to take the high road but no one should just brush off racism. We need all organisations to take a stand. ”
WEAK END AT BERNIE’S
Meanwhile, Good Morning Britain viewers were left shocked as ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone DEFENDED Piquet – having earlier stuck up for Russian PM warlord Vladimir Putin.
Ecclestone said: “I’ve known Nelson for an awful long time. I was with him a couple of weeks ago. It’s not the sort of thing Nelson would say meaning something bad.
“He probably thinks lots of things he says which might upset us or might feel a little bit offensive… to him it’s nothing. It’s just part of conversation.
“Nelson would never go out of his way to say anything bad, certainly.
“I think what probably happened, knowing Nelson as I know him, as his daughter is the girlfriend of Max Verstappen, probably after seeing the accident, he probably exploded and carried that forward.”
This prompted an angry retort from Hamilton, who said: “To hear from someone (Ecclestone) who ultimately believes in the war which is is killing thousands of people and they support the person who is doing that is beyond me.
“I cannot believe that is what I heard today. It is affecting people all people around the world. This is going to put us back decade. We are still yet to see the brunt of the pain it is going to cause the world.”
RUNNING UP THAT HILL
F1 icon Damon Hill has demanded Piquet be punished for his disgraceful comments.
Hill said: “This [Piquet’s comment] was a case of there being verifiable evidence that something was said and done.
“You’ve got Juri Vips as well – swift action has been taken against Juri.
“We have to be sure that the sport is not just nodding in the direction of political correctness. It has to be absolutely clear.
“For a long time, I’ve wished that the sport upheld and made it abundantly clear that it upholds certain values.
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12px;max-height:75px;overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:2;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1px;}.css-bq4915{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,97,108,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-bq4915:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}RED HOT .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Jesy Nelson looks incredible with a bronze tan in sizzling red bikini
“But the argument against that was they couldn’t be political. That’s what their response was, it was we’re not a political organisation, we can’t.
“But this is not politics. This is decent human values. And surely a sport should be about those things.” More

BERNIE ECCLESTONE has shockingly defended long-term friend Nelson Piquet after the Brazilian F1 icon used a vile racial slur to describe Lewis Hamilton. Former F1 owner Ecclestone, 91, insisted Piquet “would never go out of his way to say something bad”.
Bernie Ecclestone has come under fire after defending Nelson PiquetCredit: GMB/ITV
Piquet used the N-word to describe Hamilton in an interview that has just come to lightCredit: Getty
Hamilton has called on F1 to take “action” after Piquet’s vile slur went viralCredit: Getty
Piquet, 69, used the N-word to describe Hamilton in an interview that was conducted last year but surfaced earlier this week.
The three-time F1 world champion issued a grovelling apology after Hamilton called for “action”, with Piquet now facing a lifetime ban from the sport.
Ecclestone though leapt to the defence of his good friend Piquet during a bizarre interview with Good Morning Britain.
He said: “I’ve known Nelson for an awful long time. I was with him a couple of weeks ago. It’s not the sort of thing Nelson would say meaning something bad.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-xpuujo{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-tqcu81{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-bq4915{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,97,108,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-bq4915:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}PUTIN PAL .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Fury as Ecclestone says ‘I’d take bullet for Putin’ & calls Zelensky ‘a comedian’
“He probably thinks lots of things he says which might upset us or might feel a little bit offensive…. to him it’s nothing. It’s just part of conversation.
“Nelson would never go out of his way to say anything bad, certainly.
“I think what probably happened, knowing Nelson as I know him, as his daughter is the girlfriend of Max Verstappen, probably after seeing the accident, he probably exploded and carried that forward.”
Ecclestone also said he was “surprised” Hamilton hadn’t “brushed aside” Piquet’s shocking comments.
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When asked about the disgusting term, Ecclestone said: “Well it’s probably not appropriate with us. But probably it isn’t something terrible that happens if you said that in Brazil.
“People say things… if people happen to be a little bit overweight, or undersized like me, I’m quite sure a lot of people have made remarks about that. If I’d have heard it, I’d have been able to deal with it myself without too much trouble.
“I’m surprised Lewis hasn’t just brushed it aside. Or, better than that, replied. But he’s now come out and Nelson has apologised.”
Like Piquet, Ecclestone’s wife Fabiana, 45, is Brazilian and also vice-president of the FIA for the South America region.
Ex-F1 chief Ecclestone has been widely condemned on social media following his interview this morning, in which he also claimed he’d “take a bullet” for Vladimir Putin.
One critic wrote on Twitter: “Bernie Ecclestone on #GMB trying to justify Nelson Piquet’s racist comments. This weasel.”
Another wrote: “Bernie Ecclestone trying to justify Nelson Piquet’s racism. Appalling and disgusting.”
A third said: “Bernie Ecclestone defending the racist comments made by Nelson Piquet AND defending Putin…oh wow. Pull the plug on this interview.”
Ecclestone brazenly defended his old friend Putin just days after Russian forces murdered at least 18 people with a missile strike on a packed shopping centre in Ukraine.
He insisted the Russian tyrant is a “first class person” and added the brutal deaths of innocent Ukrainians were not “intentional”.
In the incredible interview Ecclestone also dismissed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as a “comedian”.
GMB presenters Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard were stunned into silence after hearing Ecclestone’s controversial comments.
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F1 released a statement shortly after Eccleston’s appearance on the show from a sunny backdrop in Ibiza.
It said: “The comments made by Bernie Ecclestone are his personal views and are in very stark contrast to position of the modern values of our sport.”
Ecclestone bizarrely defended good friend Vladimir PutinCredit: EPA More