Ecclestone thinks Piquet was frustrated by Verstappen's retirement

"I've known Nelson for an awful long time. I was with him a couple of weeks ago. It's not the sort of thing Nelson would say meaning something bad," Ecclestone defended the Brazilian at Good Morning Britain. The former Formula One owner thinks Piquet used the N-word on a whim. However, this should not be taken so lightly, according to Ecclestone.

"I think what probably happened, knowing Nelson as I know him, as his daughter is the girlfriend of Max Verstappen, probably after seeing the accident, he probably exploded and carried that forward," the billionaire continued. "Well it's probably not appropriate with us. But probably it isn't something terrible that happens if you said that in Brazil."

Piquet has since apologised and Hamilton has also responded to the issue, but it still lingers on for a long time. Too long, in Ecclestone's view. "So everybody seems, or should be, happy," he said. For Piquet, at least, the consequences are great. For example, he is no longer welcome in the F1 paddock and his membership of the BRDC has also been stripped from him.