It’s not because he knows Nelson. Literally everyone was hoping for him and even Kelly before that disgusting like to not be like him and rooting for them, giving them the benefit of the doubt. It was what Max said himself that put him in this position. Everyone was fine with what he said to Sky as well, then he fucked it up. It’s his doing, no one’s putting him in a position. He was the one driver, possible the only one, that absolutely should’ve said something because it was him Nelson was trying to praise by talking about Lewis like that. And he completely failed to distance himself from Nelson’s remarks in his interview with autosport. And while it might not be the most important thing, it’s still important to make young fans aware that this is not an appropriate answer to racism - trying to make excuses for racial slurs. There’s no defending that.