sport news Max Verstappen believes it is WRONG to expel Nelson Piquet from F1 over Lewis ... trends now
World champion Max Verstappen insists Nelson Piquet is not racist and believes it is wrong to expel him from Formula One.
Verstappen, whose girlfriend Kelly Piquet is the Brazilian triple world champion's daughter, also claimed the offensive remarks - which have overshadowed the build-up to this weekend's British Grand Prix - have been blown out of proportion.
Piquet, 69, issued an apology to Hamilton on Wednesday, but said the term - which he used when describing the British driver's first-lap collision with Verstappen at Silverstone last year - was mistranslated.
'Everyone is against racism and I think that's very straight,' said Verstappen. 'The wording that was used was not correct.
'But I've spent a bit of time with Nelson, more than the average person, and he's definitely not a racist. He's actually a really nice, relaxed guy.
'It's not about the n-word, it's about using offensive language in general.
F1 world champion Max Verstappen has insisted Nelson Piquet (pictured above) is not a racist
Verstappen believes banning Piquet, despite his racial slur against Lewis Hamilton, is wrong
'But he doesn't need me to tell him what is right and what isn't.
'He already said in his statement, he used the wrong words.
'It can be interpreted in two ways, people pick up on the bad side, and then of course it gets really blown out of proportion.'
It is understood that Piquet, who won the world championship in 1981, 1983 and 1987, will not be welcomed back into the paddock.
Earlier on Thursday, the British Racing Drivers' Club, which owns Silverstone, announced they were suspending Piquet's membership with a view to
