 |
| Team |
Renault |
| Nationality |
Brazilian |
| Podiums |
0 |
| Points |
0 |
| Grand Prix entered |
0 |
| World Championships |
0 |
| Wins |
0 |
| Pole Positions |
0 |
| Date of Birth |
25/07/1985 |
| Place of Birth |
Heidelberg |
|
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Nelson Piquet Jr shares more than just a name and helmet colours with his triple world champion father.
Whether ‘Nelsinho' has the potential to emulate Piquet Senior's achievements remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that he merits a place on the Formula 1 grid.
Piquet Jr had his detractors during his formative years – being accused of arrogance, and of having his career path laid out on a plate thanks to his family wealth and famous surname.
But Renault boss Flavio Briatore – one of the most astute talent-spotters in the paddock – thought Piquet Jr was the real deal.
When Heikki Kovalainen was promoted to the Renault race team, Briatore snapped up Piquet ahead of Renault's own Driver Development protégés to fill the vacant reserve role, while hinting that he was in line for a 2008 race seat.
Having completed plenty of testing during 2007, Piquet is extremely well prepared for his F1 debut.
But questions remain over how he fits into Renault's driver hierarchy.
Fernando Alonso's preference for number one status is well known, yet an ambitious young driver like Piquet will not be content just to be the former champion's sidekick – especially now that Hamilton has raised the benchmark for rookie achievement.
The early years
Nelsinho has been in the spotlight since the moment his racing career began.
After extensive testing, he made his debut in South American Formula 3 halfway through 2001, aged just 16, and almost won his very first race.
The excitement over the emergence of the ‘new Piquet' was such that the humble F3 event was broadcast live on a major Brazilian TV station.
Piquet Jr was a race winner before the year was out, then stormed to the 2002 title.
His father decreed that he should then head for British F3 – but rather than placing him with an existing top squad, the entire Piquet Sports team upped sticks for the UK.
A highly promising first season brought Piquet six wins and third in the standings.
He was an overwhelming favourite for the 2004 championship, and after a shaky start he duly delivered.
Piquet Sports then stepped up to the inaugural GP2 season, where Nelsinho ended a luckless first year with a win in the wet at Spa.
He also briefly dabbled with A1GP, winning the series' first ever rounds for his national team.
Piquet stayed in GP2 for 2006, won the opening round, and soon established a championship lead.
But then rookie Lewis Hamilton hit form and left him standing in the early summer.
The Brazilian fought back, with a commanding double win in Hungary bringing him back onto Hamilton's tail.
The Briton prevailed in the end, but Piquet Jr had proved he could be a match for McLaren's chosen one.
At that stage Piquet seemed short on F1 options.
Tests with Williams and BAR in previous years had led nowhere, with Williams choosing Nico Rosberg instead, and Piquet scathingly dismissing his BAR run as a team PR stunt.
But Briatore threw him a lifeline, giving Piquet the chance to prove his detractors wrong in F1.
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