An unexpected return
The remarkable feat by Max Verstappen at Interlagos, winning the São Paulo GP after starting from 17th on the grid, understandably overshadowed everything surrounding the Brazilian round. Yet, events around the GP deserve attention and are sure to spark controversy. Among these was the appearance in the paddock of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet.
The former Brazilian driver was seen in Red Bull’s hospitality area, present with his daughter Kelly, who has been Verstappen’s partner for several years. Piquet, however, was banned from the Formula 1 paddock a couple of years ago after some racist and homophobic comments he made about Lewis Hamilton emerged during a television interview at the end of the 2021 season.
The ‘ban’ (lifted?) and social media backlash
For that incident, the former Brabham, Williams, and Benetton driver was also embroiled in a complicated legal case, initially ordered by Brazilian courts to pay a fine of 930,000 euros. However, this ruling was later overturned by the Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories.
In the midst of this turmoil, F1 – without an official statement – let it be known in June 2022 that Piquet Sr.’s presence in the GP paddock was no longer particularly welcome. Notably, unlike other past champions who frequently attend Grand Prix weekends, Piquet had not been seen at any event in the paddock since.
Evidently, something has changed, and the 72-year-old from Rio was allowed to attend his ‘home’ race in person, alongside his daughter Kelly. Social media saw plenty of criticism over this decision, with some fans calling it “insensitive” given the former three-time world champion’s past controversial remarks.
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