When my seven year old has done something super naughty like dropping my iPod in the loo, his apologies are immediate and from the heart – usually followed by floods of tears.
When he does something that only I think is naughty, the only way to drag an apology out of him is with a threat, which usually goes something like this: “If you don’t say sorry...”
So he finally does, as he storms off muttering about the unfairness of it all under his breath.
The fact is he hasn’t meant it and only said it to either get me off his back or to stop him losing something that’s important to him.
I was reminded of this – the actions of a seven-year-old child – while reading the response from Formula 1 after former driver Nelson Piquet used racist slurs against seven-time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton.
The Brazilian used insulting language against Lewis twice in a podcast interview as he criticised the 37-year-old’s driving.
In response, F1 issued a statement in which they talked a lot but said nothing meaningful. It was packed with things we already know to be true.
“Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable”. Yes.
“Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect”. Yes.
“His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many.” No doubt. So what are they going to actually do?
On that point they are strangely silent.
Lewis himself said: “It’s more than language. These archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in sport.” He said he’d been surrounded by these attitudes and targeted his whole life.
He added: “There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action.”
He’s absolutely right. Formula 1 bosses need to take decisive action. They need to prove that racism won’t be tolerated, by banning Piquet from all F1 events, including the paddocks, for life.
It took Piquet more than 24 hours to issue a mealy-mouthed apology saying he was sorry to “anyone who was affected, including Lewis” and basically his racism got lost in translation. Spare me.
It’s the type of begrudging apology I get from my son when he thinks he’s done nothing wrong. He doesn’t mean it. The same goes for Piquet. It’s hollow. The fact it took a day to apologise says it all.
Lewis is right. It is time for action. If Piquet isn’t banned it will be a sign that the world of F1 does accept discriminatory and racist language and all the work Lewis has done to make it more inclusive will have been in vain.
Come one F1, don’t let that happen. Do the right thing and consign racist Piquet to the scrap heap.
