Over / under on how long Piquet's season will last [Archive]

jens

3rd March 2009, 16:47

I didn't use Grosjean in my FGP line-up without a reason! :p :

Anyway, I find it kinda odd that while Alonso is fighting at the top in tests, then Piquet is constantly a backmarker. Can't believe the difference in their skills is that huge, although I don't see a reason, why should the team give NP constantly test programs, which don't enable him to put in any good laps.

ioan

3rd March 2009, 16:56

...although I don't see a reason, why should the team give NP constantly test programs, which don't enable him to put in any good laps.

I'm sure there is a reason, a good one.
If they wanted piquet out than they would have shown him the door after last season.

samuratt

3rd March 2009, 17:08

I'm sure there is a reason, a good one.
If they wanted piquet out than they would have shown him the door after last season.

The strategy is simple. A number 1 and a number 2. Though compared to ferrari golden times (Schumi and Barrichello) there is a big difference between the performance of the lapdogs...

He won't last the whole seasson I think.

Nikki Katz

3rd March 2009, 18:27

I don't think anyone really expects Piquet to beat Alonso, but it really depends on how far behind him he is. I think he's probably safe for at least half a season, but may run into trouble after that, particularly if either Grosjean or di Grassi dominate in GP2. I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that he'll be sacked though, they didn't have to renew his contract.

DexDexter

3rd March 2009, 20:19

The number is: 8 races

9 races and he will be replaced by Bruno Senna.

Tazio

3rd March 2009, 21:41

This thread has Sig bet written all over it! :p :
I'll take NP and lay the 8 races! Any takers?

K-Pu

3rd March 2009, 22:13

10 races
Half season and a little bit more to see if he can improve

truefan72

3rd March 2009, 22:17

I'd say it depends on Piquet's performance in terms of finishing races and cockups. The team re-signed him for a reason. To be a distant number 2 to Alonso and to be his lapdog. on top of that they would use the #2 car as a testing bed for Alonso's performance and probably provide NPJr with undesirable race strategy. Now if he finishes races and is semi competitive, he is going nowhere. But if he keeps crashing out and making some really unforgivable mistakes then he will be out after 9 races.

F1boat

4th March 2009, 13:51

Whole season IMO. I think that he will improve :)

Knock-on

4th March 2009, 13:58

Whole season IMO. I think that he will improve :)

You could be right there. He needs a bit of confidence and hopefully will start performing.

Robinho

4th March 2009, 14:09

think he'll make the whole season, but if he is not significantly better than last yuear that will be it for him unless he's going to roll around at the back in bought seats.

i can't see him making another year after this, i've seen no sparks or glimmers of anything that makes him anything more than nearly average

Garry Walker

4th March 2009, 15:16

He will have the whole season easily. Because Renault does not want him to improve too much, they want him to make it easy for Alonso, who has shown that he turns into an idiot the moment his teammate is as fast or faster than him.
It is also quite funny how when Piquet has tested this year, Renault have had big problems and technical issues, but when the Asturian Princess starts testing, rarely are there any problems.

Knock-on

4th March 2009, 16:20

Come on Garry. You know they are not holding the lad back.

I think they would love Jr to be a bit closer to grab some more points. In fact, flav would love to be in a position where he could reign the boy in but at the moment he just don't look like he's up there.

ioan

4th March 2009, 16:30

It is also quite funny how when Piquet has tested this year, Renault have had big problems and technical issues, but when the Asturian Princess starts testing, rarely are there any problems.

That's what bugs me too.
It's like if PK is doing all the reliability testing of new mechanical and electric/electronic parts, and than Alonso gets to test only for set-up and performance from aero parts.

Not fair.

keysersoze

4th March 2009, 18:48

truefan72

4th March 2009, 19:08

It wouldn't be fair if it were true, but it's highly unlikely to be the case, ioan. They would have to feel that being SO inferior to FA would be just devastating to Nelson's already fragile state of mind, so Renault would want to make sure he had every opportunity to be close to Alonso's pace. Plus, judging on their prior results with Alonso / Fisi, they are interested in two strong drivers, with the weaker of the two able to occasionally challenge the team leader. That way they can challenge for the WCC while still maintaining the harmony necessary to support a WDC bid.

Unfortunately, that is simply not the case. Renault have nothing invested in Piquet being competitive. They view it as a problem if that were the case, because it would upset the fragile ego of alonso and create tension in the team. Their primary goal here is to give Alonso all of their support and effort. Piquets, serves as nothing more than a ploy in their plans. Fisi has been very vocal about his mistreatment at Renault when Alonso was around. And it was a common fact that they hampered his efforts to benefit Alonso. I guarantee you that, Puqyet will have some terrible fuel strategies, and poor race management and more "mechanical issues" than Alonso this year.

Tazio

4th March 2009, 19:23

Unfortunately, that is simply not the case. because it would upset the fragile ego of alonso and create tension in the team. Fisi has been very vocal about his mistreatment at Renault when Alonso was around. Depending on who you believe, it sounds like Fisi may have the fragile ego. Unless of course you were on hand and witnessed his persecution! :dozey:
I love it how the Alonso haters(or should I say the Blind Hamilton lovers) cling to a perception of him as a primadona, and ignore a persona that is IMO extremely misrepresented by certain elements of the english speaking press!
Take off the blinkers and apreciate Fred for the talent, and complete package he is!

truefan72

4th March 2009, 20:07

Depending on who you believe, it sounds like Fisi may have the fragile ego. Unless of course you were on hand and witnessed his persecution! :dozey:
I love it how the Alonso haters(or should I say the Blind Hamilton lovers) cling to a perception of him as a primadona, and ignore a persona that is IMO extremely misrepresented by certain elements of the english speaking press!
Take off the blinkers and apreciate Fred for the talent, and complete package he is!

As I have said many a time, I think Alonso is the best driver out there. I take issue with his poor attitude though and fragile personality. There are many statments by Fisi to back up his claims which were not only refuted but were lauded by Briatore, who never hid the fact that Fisi was a stepping stool for Alonso. The team management philosophy has notoriously been abrasive and hard to compromise with unless named Alonso. Ask heikke about that too.

Alonso has not been misrepresented at all. The majority of fodder comes straight from his mouth and there is only so many times you can claim to be taken "out of context" . i can appreciate his talent and skill, but have no obligation to like his personality. life is not a binary system of having to like someone completely or not at all.

Tazio

4th March 2009, 20:45

i can appreciate his talent and skill, but have no obligation to like his personality. life is not a binary system of having to like someone completely or not at all.I don't care if you like him or not! This discussion is really about a relationship between Fred, and NP. Please produce a link supporting your opinnion about Fred in regard to NP with facts. Or produce a link with negative comentary by an establised journalist published after the 2008 season started. You know the one that was preceeded by Ron exclaiming "we" (Ron and Lewis)were racing against Alonzo. You can't, but you still want to cling to your disdain of him, even after that episode is long gone, and Fred has moved on.
BTW Do you think Mike is as guilty as Fred in his relationships with his #2's

There are many statments by Fisi to back up his claims which were not only refuted but were lauded by Briatore, who never hid the fact that Fisi was a stepping stool for Alonso
Then I gues it is arguably Flavio that Fisi is resenting :dozey:

jens

4th March 2009, 21:27

You could be right there. He needs a bit of confidence and hopefully will start performing.

Based on 2008 it seemed to me so too that Piquet's main weakness is (lack of) mental toughness. He could be quick, but was very inconsistent and even within a Grand Prix weekend. He achieved a P2 in Germany and had decent pace in the second half of the race, proving that Renault had a quick car already then, but where the hell was he before that trundling around among backmarkers, was a huge mystery. In Fuji he was putting in quick laps as well and closing on a podium place until he went off and lost 10 seconds... At Silverstone he was going well in points again before going off immediately, when some raindrops fell. I think his finest performance in '08 took place in Hungary, when he for a change managed to have reasonably good pace throughout the weekend.

In lower series Piquet Jr used to drive in teams owned by his father and he seemed to feel quite comfortable being a clear No1. driver and actually managed to show some results. In "Team Alonso" he clearly doesn't seem comfortable and has actually seemed quite cheerless.

Considering that the whole poor 2008 wasn't enough for Renault to get rid of him I suspect he may well endure one more full season in the team with consistent underperforming. Would be a shame though if the car is really quick as he keeps a precious top seat from more capable drivers...

F1boat

5th March 2009, 07:01

One thing about Alonso. Some people, truefan, feel that it was him who was treated badly in McLaren and not the other way around. I believe that when your team boss says that he is fighting you, basically you have the right to be pissed off. So this is matter of opinion and should not be brought into a totally unrelated topic. About Fisi, he was simply slower, IMO. Heikki bested him as well. IMO Fisi is very mediocre, I was never impressed by him and never understood why he is valued so highly by some members.
So in conclusion I don't think that Nelson is treated badly. I think that he was just young and intimidated by Fred and the tough environment of F1 - at the first part of the season the car was horrible. I hope, however, that he can do better this year :)

ArrowsFA1

5th March 2009, 07:59

In lower series Piquet Jr used to drive in teams owned by his father and he seemed to feel quite comfortable being a clear No1. driver and actually managed to show some results. In "Team Alonso" he clearly doesn't seem comfortable and has actually seemed quite cheerless.
I think that's a good point. Within 'Team Piquet' he was in a comfort zone where the team was built around him and he had a big say in how things were done. That's very different to being #2 to Fernando Alonso in the Renault F1 team.

We'll see if he has the mental toughness to cope with that situation this year, and if he doesn't he won't be an F1 driver for much longer.

Garry Walker

5th March 2009, 17:31

One thing about Alonso. Some people, truefan, feel that it was him who was treated badly in McLaren and not the other way around. I believe that when your team boss says that he is fighting you, basically you have the right to be pissed off. So this is matter of opinion and should not be brought into a totally unrelated topic. About Fisi, he was simply slower, IMO. Heikki bested him as well. IMO Fisi is very mediocre, I was never impressed by him and never understood why he is valued so highly by some members.

The asturian princesses behaviour beforehand was such that his teamboss behaved quite normally when he said that. You do not blackmail your boss and then remain best friends. He should thank his lucky stars Ron did not throw his ass out at once, if one of my employees tried to blackmail me, he would be out the door in 15 seconds

Regarding Piquet, last year team changed his setup despite his objections a few times and Alonso who cried a river about setup-stealing Hamilton, used Piquets setup a few times.

ioan

5th March 2009, 18:32

The asturian princesses behaviour beforehand was such that his teamboss behaved quite normally when he said that. You do not blackmail your boss and then remain best friends. He should thank his lucky stars Ron did not throw his ass out at once, if one of my employees tried to blackmail me, he would be out the door in 15 seconds

It's the first time someone calls Max Mosley "lucky star"! :D

F1boat

5th March 2009, 20:13

It's the first time someone calls Max Mosley "lucky star"! :D

ROFL!

markabilly

7th March 2009, 04:44

The number is: 8 races

How long? It depends on

As long as freddie wants him and he pays the proper percentage to his boss/manager/agent Flavius the flabeo

keysersoze

5th August 2009, 17:50

I thought it might be interesting to bump this.

It looks like K-Pu nailed it and a couple others were close.

truefan72

6th August 2009, 01:05

I thought it might be interesting to bump this.

It looks like K-Pu nailed it and a couple others were close.

Yep, nailed it too. Said he would be finished after 9 races and he was.
said that the team would mistreat him and he was.
Not a piquet fan, be he deserved to be treated in a respectful and professional manner. which Flavio has proven quite clearly that he possesses neither. looks like a champ when he has schumi and alonso, and a chump the rest of the time. very much like Phil Jackson but lacking the people skills.