Ferrari have expressed their support for Sir Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes after the seven-time world champion was racially abused by Nelson Piquet.
Specifically, the three-time world champion called Hamilton the n-word while analysing the high-speed crash between Max Verstappen and him at last year’s British Grand Prix.
He used the racial slur in November, but his comments only came to light earlier this week.
Mercedes were quick to hit out at the three-time world champion, with them publishing a statement on Tuesday that condemned Piquet’s use of the racial slur and hailed Hamilton’s efforts to tackle racism.
“We condemn in the strongest terms any use of racist of discriminatory language of any kind,” the Mercedes F1 Team said.
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“Lewis has spearheaded our sport’s efforts to combat racism, and he is a true champion of diversity on and off track.
“Together, we share a vision for a diverse and inclusive motorsport, and this incident underlines the fundamental importance of continuing to strive for a brighter future,” they added.
Ferrari, meanwhile, expressed their support for Hamilton and Mercedes by sharing Formula 1’s statement on the matter and saying they “stand alongside” them “against any form of discrimination.”
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Other teams and drivers have also expressed their support, with Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell taking to Twitter to voice his opinion on the matter.
“Huge respect to LH. He has done more for the sport than any driver in history, not just on track but off it,” Russell tweeted.
“The fact that he and so many others are STILL having to deal with this behaviour is unacceptable. We all need to stand together against discrimination of any kind.”
As a result of his use of the racial slur, Nelson Piquet’s daughter, Kelly, has been receiving backlash on social media, with a number of F1 fans urging her to publicly condemn her father for calling Hamilton the n-word.
Kelly is currently dating Max Verstappen, and she is often seen in the paddock supporting the Dutchman.