Why did Nelson Piquet's appearance in the F1 Brazilian GP paddock cause controversy? All about Kelly Piquet's father and the controversy around him

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.

In 2022, Nelson Piquet issued an apology for what he said. However, several strong sources claimed that Piquet received a permanent ban from the F1 paddock after his derogatory comments regarding the seven-time world champion.

In 2023, new reports surfaced that he was also charged for the comments that he made two years earlier. A Brazilian court fined him around $950,000 in moral damages.

Hence, when Nelson Piquet was spotted in the 2024 F1 Brazilian GP's paddock, many were surprised to see him there after being reportedly being banned from the F1 paddock. Many fans reacted to his appearance on social media platforms, criticizing the Brazilian for his past actions.

He was spotted in the Red Bull hospitality area when he arrived in the paddock with his daughter, Kelly Piquet, who was Max Verstappen's partner.

As of now, there has been no word from F1 or the FIA about the Brazilian ex-driver being in the Interlagos paddock.

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Max Verstappen speaks on getting along with Kelly Piquet and her family, including former F1 driver Nelson Piquet

Max Verstappen recently spoke about how well he gels with the Piquet family, including former F1 driver Nelson Piquet.

The Red Bull driver talked about the traveling issues the Piquet family faces while supporting him in most races, and that it was important for Kelly to spend time with her family as well. He said that he feels welcomed in the family and could connect with them through their racing history in the sport.

Verstappen said (via GPBlog),

"Of course, my family-in-law is Brazilian. And yeah, I appreciate it a lot, meeting all of them all the time when I'm coming over. You know, it's quite a travel from Europe, but we always try to combine it with the Grand Prix and stay a bit longer. Also for Kelly, to spend more time with the family.

"I've been really welcomed very nicely within the family. Of course, there's a massive history as well with racing within the family, so it's really cool."

Max Verstappen was the winner of the 2024 F1 Brazilian GP, where he started the race from P17 and made his way up the grid in extremely wet conditions. With his win, he has extended his lead in the drivers' championship table. He currently has 393 points, while McLaren's Lando Norris is in second place with 331 points.