LONDON (BLOOMBERG) - Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton called for changes in "archaic mindsets" after former racer Nelson Piquet used a a racial slur to refer to him in an interview.

Piquet used the Portuguese equivalent of the N-word in a November interview that was picked up by Brazilian outlets this week.

In response, Hamilton said on Twitter that he's been targeted all his life, and that there's been plenty of time to learn but the "time has come for action."

Piquet, a three-time world champion, was criticising Hamilton's collision with Red Bull's Max Verstappen at the British Grand Prix last year.

Hamilton, the Mercedes driver, won his home race.

Piquet's daughter has been in a relationship with Verstappen since 2020.

The racing community has come out in support of Hamilton since Piquet's comments gained traction on Monday night.

Mercedes has decried the comments against its driver, calling him a "true champion for diversity on and off track."

Formula One and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, the governing body overseeing motor sport, have also issued statements condemning the use of racist and discriminatory language.

Hamilton has long been outspoken about the racism he's experienced for years as a Black driver, and has used his platform to fight for equality.

Piquet, meanwhile, has been close to Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who's faced backlash for his own discriminatory remarks.

Last year, Piquet drove the politician around in the presidential Rolls Royce on Independence Day.