Just a month after being fined £780,000, three-time Formula 1 World Champion Nelson Piquet is potentially in trouble once again, for having stored Saudi Arabian jewels for former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Piquet was recently fined the huge sum by the Brazilian government after racist and homophobic comments made by the Brazilian were discovered, with Piquet’s remarks having been directed at seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.
Piquet’s comments came whilst discussing Hamilton’s and Max Verstappen’s crash at the 2021 British Grand Prix, and his defeat to Nico Rosberg in 2016.
Hamilton is, of course, an honorary Brazilian citizen, with the 38-year-old having hailed the government for their “pretty amazing” response to Piquet’s vile comments.
Want to work in Formula 1? Browse the latest F1 job vacancies
“Back when it happened I made comments on it – I still believe that we generally shouldn’t be giving people that are just full of hate a platform,” Hamilton told reporters last month.
“I’d like to acknowledge the Brazilian government. I think it’s pretty amazing what they have done in holding someone accountable, showing people that it’s not tolerated.”
Following his comments, Piquet was banned from the F1 paddock.
The Brazilian is certainly remaining in the spotlight in his home nation, though, following a report from Brazilian outlet Globo.
According to Globo, a shed on Piquet’s farm was used to store some Saudi Arabian jewels, gifted to Bolsonaro by the Saudi Arabian government in 2019.
It’s believed that Bolsonaro stored the jewels on Piquet’s farm to avoid declaring them, in a bid to keep them for himself.
Piquet is a vocal supporter of Bolsonaro and was in trouble once again after Lula de Silva was victorious in the presidential race, with the ex-F1 driver having ranted in a foul-mouthed video.
READ: AlphaTauri team boss reveals huge changes afoot amid sale rumours
“We’re going to get Lula, son of a b****, out of here,” Piquet said, while another man in the video said: “That’s it! Brazil above everything, God above everything.”
The clip ends with Piquet saying: “And Lula there in a cemetery, son of a b****.”
Piquet is, of course, the father of Verstappen’s partner Kelly Piquet, who has often defended her father’s actions when he’s been in the midst of controversy.