Piquet Jr to look to Indycar for second chance?

[DBell]

http://motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=346322&FS=F1

I hope IC teams are going to pass on this loser. If you believe the Renault whistle blower and Pat Symonds, it was Jr's idea to crash at Singapore. Combine that with his miserable driving record during his time at Renault, then I don't see what he brings besides notoriety.

If he gets a ride next year and guys like PT, Servia and so forth are still out or part time, then I'd say that's the breaking point for me as far as Indycar is concerned. I would be done with it.

[nigelred5]

Much to daddy's dismay, he's just not that good. next.

[V12]

Well he's probably a better driver than some in the field (e.g. Danica, Milka, Stanton Barrett), so I guess if he's able to bring money, he's in. Of course what sponsor would associate with him after what he's been involved in, so I guess it would depend on how much influence and/or cash daddy Piquet has.

[Easy Drifter]

He will have to bring a big pot of money and I doubt many if any companies would touch him. Further a team would have to deal with daddy who has quite a rep as being extremely difficult.

[I am evil Homer]

IC doesn't need losers like Nelsinho.

[MDS]

I am all for second chances, especially when it involves someone young and talented.

Does Nelson have a massive ego? Absolutely. Does he have a misplaced faith in his abilities? Most likely, but the kid has talent, at least some, and a recognizable name, something the ICS is short on at the moment.

I want him in the IRL, because if nothing else he'll bring interest, and perhaps some buzz to the series, again, two things the series is lacking. Not to mention the ICS is going to Brazil, where his name would help sell tickets. Also, as far as sponsors go. APEX is supposedly close to signing a deal with de Ferran, and NPJK could be a natural fit for them.

As far as his driving record at Renault... Alonso has been very critical of the equipment the team has given him these past two years. I would say look to his GP2 record, which is perhaps more competitive than the ICS. You don't score five GP2 victories and finish a close second in the points without some level of talent, no matter how good your equipment might be.

So if he buys a ride at a second teir team, ::: cough :::: AGR, and adds a full-time car to the grid I don't so much care how its paid for. Every little thing helps.

[DBell]

I am all for second chances, especially when it involves someone young and talented.

Does Nelson have a massive ego? Absolutely. Does he have a misplaced faith in his abilities? Most likely, but the kid has talent, at least some, and a recognizable name, something the ICS is short on at the moment.

I want him in the IRL, because if nothing else he'll bring interest, and perhaps some buzz to the series, again, two things the series is lacking. Not to mention the ICS is going to Brazil, where his name would help sell tickets. Also, as far as sponsors go. APEX is supposedly close to signing a deal with de Ferran, and NPJK could be a natural fit for them.

As far as his driving record at Renault... Alonso has been very critical of the equipment the team has given him these past two years. I would say look to his GP2 record, which is perhaps more competitive than the ICS. You don't score five GP2 victories and finish a close second in the points without some level of talent, no matter how good your equipment might be.

So if he buys a ride at a second teir team, ::: cough :::: AGR, and adds a full-time car to the grid I don't so much care how its paid for. Every little thing helps.

I get what your saying, but it still doesn't wash with me. At some point you have to draw a line on what is a forgivable offense and what isn't. To me, Nelson crossed that line. I don't care how "fragile" his state of mind was, at the end of the day he was the one with the wheel in his hand and only he could execute the crash to fix the race. Others in sports have been found to crossed the line (Pete Rose, for example) and they are shown the door to their sport forever. It should be the same for Jr.

Granted, the Renault has been less than impressive the last few years, but his pace compared with Fernando is as one sided as it gets. Racing history has shown a lot of drivers who excel in lower formulas, yet never shine in the big leagues. Martin Brundle was Senna's main rival in the lower formulas, but in F1, not so much.

I also have to add that he not only affected the outcome of a race, but probably affected who won the WDC. I wonder how forgiving F. Massa is feeling towards Piquet.

[garyshell]

I get what your saying, but it still doesn't wash with me. At some point you have to draw a line on what is a forgivable offense and what isn't. To me, Nelson crossed that line. I don't care how "fragile" his state of mind was, at the end of the day he was the one with the wheel in his hand and only he could execute the crash to fix the race. Others in sports have been found to crossed the line (Pete Rose, for example) and they are shown the door to their sport forever. It should be the same for Jr.



Let's see you sit in the car and tell Flavio no you aren't going to take one for the team. It's easy being the Monday morning quarterback, isn't it. And don't get me started on the Pete Rose thing, I live in Cincinnati. We are pissed that there are a bunch of steroid jockeys in the hall of fame and Pete is standing on the outside. It is one of the worst cases of hypocrisy I have ever seen.

Gary

[bblocker68]

He can bring money. I'm sure he can find a home in Indycar. He was pretty damn good in GP2. He was poised to win the crown until Lewis had a great run in the second half of the season.

[DBell]

Let's see you sit in the car and tell Flavio no you aren't going to take one for the team. It's easy being the Monday morning quarterback, isn't it. And don't get me started on the Pete Rose thing, I live in Cincinnati. We are pissed that there are a bunch of steroid jockeys in the hall of fame and Pete is standing on the outside. It is one of the worst cases of hypocrisy I have ever seen.

Gary

"Take one for the team"? Are you kidding me? It's about personal integrity and yes, I would've told Flav to shove it. If Nelson had, then maybe he'd still have a career to go back to. As it happens, I had to take a stand several years ago that cost me my job. It wasn't easy, but at the end of the day I could look myself in the mirror and sleep at night.

As for Pete, he had to know the consequences for what he was doing as there was famous precedent set for it. Then he lied his butt off for years about it until it was time for him to sell his book. He dug his own grave, so let him lay in it.

[MDS]

What Nelson Jr does happens every weekend in motorsports.

In 2004 Dale Jr admitted to intentionally spinning his car out at Bristol to get a caution and got a $10k slap on the wrist. In 2002 Rubens Barrichello nearly stopped on the final straight in Austria so that Shumacher could get the win. Rubens got screwed again this year at the Spanish Grand Prix. This year Bobby Labonte sat on the track at Infieon to bring out a caution that probably cast Robby Gordon that race.

Team orders happen, a lot

[maxmach]

Did Nelson screw up, big big time. But sports, and most everything, is about money. Look, Vick did a far far far worse thing, and presto, He's with the perfect team for him.Personally I hope they fail miserabley, and if Piquet came to the IRL, I wouldn't root for him either, but he is talented enough and has enough money to race here, for better or worse. Beggers(IRL) can't be choosers.

[Nikki Katz]

He's not that bad! Ok, admittedly he's never been one of my favourite drivers, and especially not now (though full marks for getting rid of Flav), but he does still have a better record than a lot of drivers in the series, and I don't just mean Duno!

[penske15]

Let's see you sit in the car and tell Flavio no you aren't going to take one for the team. It's easy being the Monday morning quarterback, isn't it. And don't get me started on the Pete Rose thing, I live in Cincinnati. We are pissed that there are a bunch of steroid jockeys in the hall of fame and Pete is standing on the outside. It is one of the worst cases of hypocrisy I have ever seen.

Gary

c'mon gary. that isn't fair. it isn't as simple as taking one for the team. it starts with a lack of integrity, on all of the people who are involved. two of them are ruined in the sport forever and the other is trying to get a drive somewhere. this generation of drivers, athletes, entertainers and people who get paid to sport for a living are hopelessly lost anyways. we just have to accept that. i think he's right. you have to draw a line somewhere. compromising the integrity of the sport has to be the most heinous thing you can do to a sport. if i thought for a second that stuff like this wasn't isolated, i'd quite watching it. i watch for the fight, the competiton and the drama. not to see guys win because of a "lucky" caution. if i wanted that, i'd watch nascar.

[Chamoo]

Sitting in the car, if your manager and team boss, especially Flavio Briatore, tells you to crash on purpose, the first thing that comes to your mind is to do what your told. You don't have time to go through the pro's and con's of doing it.

On top of that, if he doesn't do it, then he can never prove that he was asked to do it by Flavio. And if he doesn't do it, Flavio, who is your manager probably for a long time, buries you so far in F3 or F2000 and makes your life a living hell.

I don't like that he did it either, but in the heat of the moment, he probably didn't think he had much choice.

If he could put together a budget to add a car to Panther Racing or AGR, I wouldn't be pissed.

[NickFalzone]

I don't like what Nelson did at Singapore, I think it's a terrible mark on his character. But the reality is that, at a minimum, he would be better than a third of the current IRL grid, and in a good car could easily compete for top 10s. So if it's him instead of one of the not-to-be-named backmarkers, I think I'd take him. Sato will also be a nice addition with DF if that comes to pass.

[NickFalzone]

Sitting in the car, if your manager and team boss, especially Flavio Briatore, tells you to crash on purpose, the first thing that comes to your mind is to do what your told. You don't have time to go through the pro's and con's of doing it.

On top of that, if he doesn't do it, then he can never prove that he was asked to do it by Flavio. And if he doesn't do it, Flavio, who is your manager probably for a long time, buries you so far in F3 or F2000 and makes your life a living hell.

I don't like that he did it either, but in the heat of the moment, he probably didn't think he had much choice.

If he could put together a budget to add a car to Panther Racing or AGR, I wouldn't be pissed.

There's the issue of ethics and the issue of intelligence. I don't think Nelson exhibited either in his decision to basically crash to keep his job, and actually putting himself in harms way. It was a desperate move, supposedly due to an immense pressure he felt to get his contract renewed for another season. To me though, that doesn't even make a lot of sense, because if they had such little respect for him that getting a renewal was based on fixing a race, than why should he expect to get top equipment the following season. It should have been clear that at best he would get a renewal then be the #2 driver always until his contract ran out.

[call_me_andrew]

If I were a team owner, I'd aknowledge that what Renault did was wrong and he was right to have come forward; however, the fact that he didn't come forward until after he was fired leads me to believe he's the kind of guy that holds a grudge. I don't think I want him working for me.

[I am evil Homer]

Let's see you sit in the car and tell Flavio no you aren't going to take one for the team. It's easy being the Monday morning quarterback, isn't it. And don't get me started on the Pete Rose thing, I live in Cincinnati. We are pissed that there are a bunch of steroid jockeys in the hall of fame and Pete is standing on the outside. It is one of the worst cases of hypocrisy I have ever seen.

Gary

Read the transcripts....Nelson put the crash idea to Pat Symonds and "Witness X".

[wedge]

So if he buys a ride at a second teir team, ::: cough :::: AGR, and adds a full-time car to the grid I don't so much care how its paid for. Every little thing helps.

AGR

LOL!

Michael Andretti will call Jr to spin/crash to bring out a caution at Sonoma again and let Golden Boy Marco get a win!

[indyracefan]

hmmm, let's add it all up. An over-rated underachiever directly involved in a huge F1 scandal with absolutely no oval experience with a name and personality that almost no Americans will find interest in. That coupled with his own admission of wanting to try 'Indy' for a year until the waters calm in F1, all the while taking a seat from a deserving driver who has worked & wants to be in the series. Yeah, that's just what the IndyCar Series needs.

[maxmach]

Indyracefan, I agree entirely, except that the IRL does not have much if any choice now. In the "old" days it would have been "don't let the door hit you on the way out", but it's not the old days. Indycar is dying, anything to get it in the public's eye is good, even this despicable character.

[MDS]

hmmm, let's add it all up. An over-rated underachiever directly involved in a huge F1 scandal with absolutely no oval experience with a name and personality that almost no Americans will find interest in. That coupled with his own admission of wanting to try 'Indy' for a year until the waters calm in F1, all the while taking a seat from a deserving driver who has worked & wants to be in the series. Yeah, that's just what the IndyCar Series needs.

Or....

The talented son of a racing legend lets ego and bad judgment take advantage of him making a bad situation even worse. Humbled, his dreams of following in his father's footsteps shattered he comes to America looking for redemption and a second chance in the land of opportunity, knowing that he must once again prove himself if he ever is to reach the pinnacle of his career.

It's all in how you frame it. Given the right spin, and a love interest, it's potentially a movie-quality storyline.

If he comes to the IRL, owns up to his mistakes, tries to start over and does well its a good storyline. It won't single-handedly save the IRL, but its another drop in the bucket towards being interesting, which sadly the IRL is not, and hasn't been for a long time outside of the merger.

Honestly how is what Nelson did any different than Dario blocking for Marco at Infineon? Or Rubens letting his teammates twice pass him for the win? Teams have manipulated races to their advantage before, in ways we're never aware of. The only difference is you don't like Nelson so you're holding it against him. Believe me there have been times perfecly functioning cars have stopped on the course for "Mechanical issues," to bring out yellows for their teammates.

[garyshell]

Read the transcripts....Nelson put the crash idea to Pat Symonds and "Witness X".


At the time I replied the transcripts were not out yet. And isn't Nelson denying that? It may be true, but I find it a lot easier to believe this was Flavio's idea than Nelson's. But they may be clouded because I have never cared for Flavio or the heavy handed way he has treated the drivers he managed or the ones he approached about managing.

Gary

[I am evil Homer]

Oh I have no love for Flavio whatsoever but the whole thing stinks of getting him out of F1, even though I won't miss him :D My issue is that Piquet is far from being some innocent bystander in all of this and any team should think very carefully about having that sort of personality around.

Quite aside from that IMO he's a very average driver.

[NickFalzone]

Nelson says "they" brought it up, Pat says Nelson brought it up. I have no good reason to believe one side more than the other, although if it was the former, I would agree that Nelson should not race anywhere again. Somehow I don't dislike him as much, if he was cajoled into it during an intense time of trying to keep his ride.

[bravefish]

[quote="MDS"]Or....

The talented son of a racing legend lets ego and bad judgment take advantage of him making a bad situation even worse. Humbled, his dreams of following in his father's footsteps shattered he comes to America looking for redemption and a second chance in the land of opportunity, knowing that he must once again prove himself if he ever is to reach the pinnacle of his career.

It's all in how you frame it. Given the right spin, and a love interest, it's potentially a movie-quality storyline.


Given the right spin, and a love interest ? Gees - sounds more likely he's heading for the porn industry not the IRL

[bravefish]

Or....

The talented son of a racing legend lets ego and bad judgment take advantage of him making a bad situation even worse. Humbled, his dreams of following in his father's footsteps shattered he comes to America looking for redemption and a second chance in the land of opportunity, knowing that he must once again prove himself if he ever is to reach the pinnacle of his career.

It's all in how you frame it. Given the right spin, and a love interest, it's potentially a movie-quality storyline.





Given the right spin and a love interest, you sound like Nelson Piquet Jr is heading for the porn industry, not the IRL...

All that aside there are a few talented and more experienced drivers who should have full time rides before he gets one. If only that was the way it worked..

[peasant]

Read the transcripts....Nelson put the crash idea to Pat Symonds and "Witness X".

Dude could you please just f***ing post a link to the transcpripts ? Please?

[Jag_Warrior]

Given the right spin and a love interest, you sound like Nelson Piquet Jr is heading for the porn industry, not the IRL...

All that aside there are a few talented and more experienced drivers who should have full time rides before he gets one. If only that was the way it worked..

That's an idea. Nelsinho could do a pr0n vid with Paris Hilton, and then come to the IRL with sponsorship form Penthouse or Private Media Group. :D

Jokes aside, I don't like the guy at all. But I wouldn't dismiss him as a driver in the IRL just because he was a flop against Fernando Alonso. As for being a cheat, with low morals... I won't argue with that. But some might put M. Schumacher, Prost, Senna, Hamilton and Alonso in that same category... at least on various levels. In GP2 (which was pretty close to an IRL car when he was up front in the series), Prost, Jr. was without question championship material. And then you compare him to a known quantity like Mike Conway. Conway hasn't shown that badly in the IRL, and he was nothing special (to say the least) in GP2. IMO, he'd probably do better than OK here.

And let's face it, the IRL is too sweet & chummy for a lot of tastes (mine anyway). All that's missing is they start each race by man hugging each other and singing the Barney the Dinosaur song: I love you. You love me. We’re a happy family. With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you. Won’t you say you love me too? :rolleyes:

That's one reason I miss Paul Tracy vs. Bourdais. Or Robby Gordon vs. Mike Andretti vs. Paul Tracy from the days gone by. There's nothing wrong with some knife & dagger competition. I couldn't stand Tom Sneva! But I'd watch him every lap, hoping for someone to put a move on him. That's one reason I watch more NASCAR these days; cause you have an asshat like Kyle Busch mixing it up, while running near the front many races. I like Jimmie Johnson a LOT more, but you couldn't get sugar to melt in his mouth = boring. And I watch a lot more NHRA now than AOWR these days (great job, VS/Comcast). That throw down between the Pedregons and John Force the other week was great! And on top of that, the racing has been great too. Some real characters in there.

So I'd love to see Piquet over here. Just for the hate value alone, he'd be worth it. I'd want him to be as obnoxious as possible, while running up front. He could bring Paris Hilton and her little barking rat to the races. Or start hitting on or making fun of Danica (first meeting, he could ask Danica if she's a little boy or a little girl). In his first press conference I'd want him to say that he came to America to kick ass and chew bubble gum... but he's fresh out of bubble gum! :D

Yeah, finally someone who could annoy me at least as much as Danica does, but who has about 500% more talent and skill than she does. Yes! :s mokin:

Friends, Romans, countrymen... I present to you: The Anti-Danica!!!
http://www.f1r.us/Images/N/nelsinho-piquet/Nelsinho-Piquet-1.jpg

[D28]

Let's see you sit in the car and tell Flavio no you aren't going to take one for the team. It's easy being the Monday morning quarterback, isn't it. And don't get me started on the Pete Rose thing, I live in Cincinnati. We are pissed that there are a bunch of steroid jockeys in the hall of fame and Pete is standing on the outside. It is one of the worst cases of hypocrisy I have ever seen.

Gary

Piquet could have/should have ignored orders to crash and drove the wheels off the car to get as good a result as possible. That would have reflected character, a quality he is sadly lacking. Think of Niki Lauda in 1976 in Japan parking the car in torrential rain, against team wishes and losing the WC by one poit. That is character; I cannot imagine Lauda agreeing to deliberately crash, same for all the great F1 champions. Piquet risked the lives of his fellow drivers, marshalls and spectators. A crash is not predictable, just look at recent events with Henry Surtees and F. Massa. Piquet should have no future in motorsport anywhere.

[havk]

I wonder what some people have against Danica. I think it's because they can't accept that a woman can drive so fast and be better than men? BTW I'd like to see her in Formula 1.

[Stuartf12007]

If Piquet Jr joined Indy he would win the title with ease, he is a far superior driver than anyone on the Indy grid.

Unfortunatly, i probably wont be able to prove my words right, as he is more likely to join the new Manor F1 team.

[indyracefan]

If Piquet Jr joined Indy he would win the title with ease, he is a far superior driver than anyone on the Indy grid.

Unfortunatly, i probably wont be able to prove my words right, as he is more likely to join the new Manor F1 team.


I don't think there's any scenario that would prove your words correct outside of him joining another F1 team.

[indyracefan]

If Piquet Jr joined Indy he would win the title with ease, he is a far superior driver than anyone on the Indy grid.

Unfortunatly, i probably wont be able to prove my words right, as he is more likely to join the new Manor F1 team.

To say he would be far superior to anyone else on the grid is laughable. That is a statement that is made without any real knowledge or facts...more like a wish or fantasy. I doubt you could find anyone connected to either series that would agree with you.

[bravefish]

If Piquet Jr joined Indy he would win the title with ease, he is a far superior driver than anyone on the Indy grid.



If your looking for a bite you've got it.

What a ***** comment

[F1boat]

IMO Nelson jr. will do in IRL better than in F1 but won't be as good as in GP 2.

[Jag_Warrior]

I wonder what some people have against Danica. I think it's because they can't accept that a woman can drive so fast and be better than men? BTW I'd like to see her in Formula 1.

Yep, and that (tired) gender card logic explains why so many like Angelle Sampey, Shirley Muldowney and Ashley Force so much. Ashley is looking damn good for an NHRA Top Fuel championship this year. And Shirley and Angelle each have more championships than Danica's won pro races in her entire life. But everybody who dislikes the Overhyped One is a sexist. Yeah... well, based on her comments, I guess that makes Angelle Sampey a self-hating woman. And Angelle doesn't say anything negative about ANYBODY... unless they really have it coming to them.

Danica in F1? Oh, absolutely! I'd like to see Paris Hilton on Broadway too. Who cares if Bruno Senna makes it or not? Danica is the real deal. Heck, she's won an oval race and everything! Any F1 team would be lucky to have her. I bet Ferrari was on the phone with IMG, begging for Danica's services, ten minutes after Massa got hurt. But with the Ferrari down on pace this year, she wisely chose to stick with the IRL. But a future Formula One World Driving Champion, The Danica surely is! :bounce:

Qe500eIK1oA

Danica to F1? The answer to the question^^^ is YES! ... that makes you crazy. Sorry.

[havk]

[quote="Jag_Warrior"]Yep, and that (tired) gender card logic explains why so many like Angelle Sampey, Shirley Muldowney and Ashley Force so much. Ashley is looking damn good for an NHRA Top Fuel championship this year. And Shirley and Angelle each have more championships than Danica's won pro races in her entire life. But everybody who dislikes the Overhyped One is a sexist. [quote]

Ok, I just asked. Still don't know why some don't like her so much.. Is just because she's overhyped? It's her success from marketing point of view. Today racing isn't all about racing but also about hot to get to media..

I do not know much about IRL but I found some information about Danica results and it isn't look bad. 9th in 2006, 7th in 2007, 6th in 2008. 1 win and 2 other podium. I don't think she'd good in F1 but some weak team could give her a chance for 1 or 2 races (and get media interest).

[Sonic]

I am all for second chances, especially when it involves someone young and talented.


Well he's certainly one of those things. ;)

[Stuartf12007]

If your looking for a bite you've got it.

What a ***** comment



No need to be insulting, its only my opinion. Please dont flame the board

Thank you

[Jag_Warrior]

Ok, I just asked. Still don't know why some don't like her so much.. Is just because she's overhyped?

Pretty much.



I do not know much about IRL but I found some information about Danica results and it isn't look bad. 9th in 2006, 7th in 2007, 6th in 2008. 1 win and 2 other podium. I don't think she'd good in F1 but some weak team could give her a chance for 1 or 2 races (and get media interest).

Yeah, and Marco Parco is 6th in the points this year. But anyway, no one is saying that Danica is the worst driver in the IRL. She's basically a mid pack driver in a very well funded team. Any F1 team that's so deperate for "media interest" that they'd hire a driver, who has never in her life won a road course race, needs to stay in GP2 or where ever they are now. Or do what Spyker was going to do: hire Paris Hilton to stand beside their car... kinda like a hooker.

But I'm still of the opinion that Nelsinho would rip Danica a new one, in roughly equal chassis... on a road/street course at least.

[drewdawg727]

They probably pay more for those hookers that stand next to the cars than ICS pays their drivers for 3-year contracts anyway

[Mark in Oshawa]

Sitting in the car, if your manager and team boss, especially Flavio Briatore, tells you to crash on purpose, the first thing that comes to your mind is to do what your told. You don't have time to go through the pro's and con's of doing it.

On top of that, if he doesn't do it, then he can never prove that he was asked to do it by Flavio. And if he doesn't do it, Flavio, who is your manager probably for a long time, buries you so far in F3 or F2000 and makes your life a living hell.

I don't like that he did it either, but in the heat of the moment, he probably didn't think he had much choice.

If he could put together a budget to add a car to Panther Racing or AGR, I wouldn't be pissed.

To nail this guy for following Team orders in a sport where team orders have asked drivers to do all sorts of stupid obvious crap is hypocracy.

I don't know how much talent this guy has, but everyone thought Jenson Button was a waste of a an F1 ride until this year, and he will likely win the WDC this year. F1 is so car oriented, so who knows how good Nelson Jr. could be. The fact Alonso was faster than him means little, since you don't think for a second both cars are equal now do you?

If this guy shows up in the IRL with money, he will race, he may add something to the series, and he will find out there are no team orders in North American racing. He will also find out smacking the walls on purpose at a place like Indy is a bad idea.....

[Mark in Oshawa]

They probably pay more for those hookers that stand next to the cars than ICS pays their drivers for 3-year contracts anyway

I suspect the girls Bernie buys get paid more than IRL drivers....

[Lee Roy]

From Jayski:

http://jayski.com/cupnews.htm#piquet


Another F1 Driver looking to move to NASCAR: Nelson Piquet Jr., who became the source of a recent scandal known as 'crash-gate', will be testing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with an eye towards a future in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series with in two years. Piquet Jr., will get behind the wheel of a Toyota Tundra for Red Horse Racing on October 12th [at Rockingham, NC]. He is expected in the team's Mooresville, NC shop Monday for a seat fitting. The Renault F1 team fired the 23-year-old Brazilian earlier this season for underperformance. Shortly after details emerged that Piquet had been ordered to cause a crash in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix that allowed his teammate Fernando Alonso to win. After an investigation and hearing, Formula One's governing body, the FIA, held a hearing and banned Renault F1's team boss Flavio Briatore for life and the team's technical engineer Pat Symonds for five years. They also placed the team on a 'suspended ban' for two years. Piquet Jr., was given immunity from sanctions in exchange for his testimony and many in Formula One now consider the son of two time Formula One world champion Nelson Piquet to be 'damaged goods'.(SPEEDtv)(10-4-2009)

[champcarray]

Isn't it one of the seven signs of the Apocolypse when drivers turn to NASCAR to rehabiliate their image as, well, drivers? ;-)

[maximilian]

He has some talent, but isn't good enough for F1, so he's perfect for the IRL. I hope he comes, because he'd be a great guy for people to "love to hate" due to his shenenigans. And the ladies will love the goodlooking badboy image :D

[Mark in Oshawa]

He has some talent, but isn't good enough for F1, so he's perfect for the IRL. I hope he comes, because he'd be a great guy for people to "love to hate" due to his shenenigans. And the ladies will love the goodlooking badboy image :D

No they wont...he is a dweeb with an accent...nothing more....

[anthonyvop]

Piquet Jr. was cruzing the paddock today in Homestead.