LEWIS HAMILTON has broken his silence amid a race storm with Nelson Piquet ahead of the British Grand Prix.
The 69-year-old Brazilian has been banned from Silverstone this weekend after the vile slur.
Piquet had already been banned for life from the F1 paddock for his disgusting remarks.
And Hamilton, who arrived at Silverstone in a colourful outfit today, said: “I am incredibly grateful to all those who have been supportive within the sport, particularly the drivers.
“It has been two years since we took the knee in Austria. Of course we are still faced with the challenges.
“I have been on the receiving end on racism and that negative and archaic narratives and undertones of discrimination.
“I am not sure why we are continuing to give these older people a platform.
“They are speaking on the sport but we are looking to go in a different direction. It’s the bigger picture.
“It is now a knee jerk reaction from companies all around the world.
“They probably all already have a script ready for that crisis management. It is not enough. Is now about action.
“These old voices subconsciously or consciously agree people like me should be in the sport.
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“We need more than ever to be bringing people together. It is not helpful the comments we are seeing from these people.
“People who are not irrelevant in the sport for years are trying to bring me down but I am still here.”
Piquet is a member of the British Racing Drivers Club that own Silverstone, but will be formally kicked out at a members’ meeting next week.
He issued an apology for his vile comment, saying: “I would never use the word I have been accused of in some translations.
“I strongly condemn any suggestion that the word was used by me with the aim of belittling a driver because of his skin colour.
“I apologise wholeheartedly to anyone that was affected, including Lewis, who is an incredible driver. But the translation in some media that is now circulating on social media is not correct.
“Discrimination has no place in F1 or society and I am happy to clarify my thoughts in that respect.”
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