BERNIE ECCLESTON has shockingly defended his longtime friend Nelson Piquet after the Brazilian F1 icon used a vile racial insult to describe Lewis Hamilton.
Former F1 owner Eccleston, 91, insisted Piquet “would never do his best to say anything bad.”
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Bernie Eccleston has been criticized after defending Nelson PiquetCredit: GMB / ITV
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Piquet used the word N to describe Hamilton in an interview that just came to lightCredit: Getty
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Hamilton has called on F1 to take “action” after Piquet’s vile insult went viralCredit: Getty
Piquet, 69, used the word N to describe Hamilton in an interview last year but which appeared earlier this week.
The three-time F1 world champion apologized after Hamilton called for “action”, with Piquet now facing a lifetime ban from the sport.
Eccleston, however, jumped in defense of his good friend Piquet during a strange interview with Good Morning Britain.
He said, “I’ve known Nelson for a long time. I was with him a couple of weeks ago. It’s not the kind of thing Nelson would say to say something bad.
“He probably thinks a lot of things that he says can upset us or make us feel a little offensive … for him it’s nothing. It’s just part of the conversation.
“Nelson would never do his best to say anything bad, no doubt.
“I think what probably happened, knowing Nelson as I know him, as his daughter is Max Verstappen’s girlfriend, probably after seeing the accident, probably exploded and carried him away.”
Eccleston also said he was “surprised” that Hamilton had not “rejected” Piquet’s shocking comments.
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When asked about the disgusting term, Eccleston said, “Well, it’s probably not appropriate for us. But it’s probably not a terrible thing to happen if you say it in Brazil.
“People say things … if people are a little overweight or underweight like me, I’m sure a lot of people have commented on it. If I had heard it, I would have been able to do it myself without too much problems.
“I’m surprised Lewis didn’t put it aside. Or better than that, he replied. But now he’s out and Nelson has apologized.”
Like Piquet, Ecclestone’s wife, Fabiana, 45, is Brazilian and also vice president of the FIA for the South American region.
Former F1 boss Eccleston has been widely condemned on social media after his interview this morning, in which he also stated that he would “grab a bullet” by Vladimir Putin.
One critic wrote on Twitter: “Bernie Ecclestone on #GMB trying to justify Nelson Piquet’s racist comments. This weasel.”
Another wrote, “Bernie Ecclestone tries to justify Nelson Piquet’s racism. Creepy and disgusting.”
A third said, “Bernie Ecclestone defending Nelson Piquet’s racist comments and defending Putin … oh wow. Disconnect this interview.”
Eccleston blatantly defended his old friend Putin a few days after Russian forces killed at least 18 people with a missile attack on a mall full of Ukraine.
He insisted that the Russian tyrant is a “first-class person” and added that the brutal deaths of innocent Ukrainians were not “intentional.”
In the incredible interview, Eccleston also fired Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “comedian.”
GMB presenters Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard were speechless after hearing Ecclestone’s controversial comments.
F1 issued a statement shortly after Eccleston appeared on the program from a sunny backdrop in Ibiza.
He said: “The comments made by Bernie Ecclestone are his personal opinions and are in stark contrast to the position of the modern values of our sport.”
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Ecclestone strangely defended good friend Vladimir PutinCredit: EPA