Fernando Alonso believes his former team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr still has a future in Formula 1 despite his acrimonious split with Renault.
Piquet was dropped by the Enstone-based squad during the summer break, and delivered a strongly worded parting shot against his team boss and manager Flavio Briatore, who he branded his “executioner”.
Asked about the situation at Valencia on Thursday, Alonso acknowledged that relations between Piquet and the team’s management had broken down, but said the 24-year-old Brazilian deserved another shot at F1.
“I always had a good relationship with Nelson,” he said.
“I consider him a very good driver and a very nice person, and I’m sure he will have more opportunities in Formula 1 because I believe he has the talent.”
Alonso has denied that the team systematically favoured him, however – suggesting Piquet’s problems stemmed from his poor relationship with Renault’s management.
“Obviously something went wrong with him in the team,” said the Spaniard.
“We always had the same car – this has to be clear, because there was a lot of information [to the contrary] this summer.
“But on the human side he was maybe never very happy with the team.
Click Here to Read More:
Nelson Piquet Jr. Sacked By Renault F1, Blames Briatore For His Failure
| 
|