Nelson Piquet at Spa during GP3 Series Round 6 race in 2018 (Photo by Joe Portlock/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images)
F1 paddock was engulfed in controversy with fans and paddock members commenting on the presence of former F1 driver Nelson Piquet in the paddock during the 2024 F1 Brazilian GP. The comments and controversy relate to the 72-year-old's past deeds off the race track.
With 23 race victories and three championships, in 1981, 1983, and 1987, Piquet is among the most accomplished drivers in F1 history. He drove for some legendary teams, including Lotus, Brabham, Williams, and Benetton, before retiring from the sport at the end of the 1991 season. Kelly Piquet, the daughter of Nelson Piquet, frequently appears in F1 paddock in support of her partner, Max Verstappen.
In November 2021, Nelson Piquet was involved in a major controversy when he used racial slurs to describe Lewis Hamilton in a Brazilian podcast while talking about the Brit and Verstappen's crash in the 2021 F1 British GP.
