Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet recognized Thursday that he was fighting for his place in Formula One and could be dropped by his Renault team before the end of the season.
The 23-year-old, in his second full season, has yet to score a point this year and rumours swirled in the paddock at the previous German Grand Prix that he would be replaced for this weekend’s race in Hungary.
“I knew there was a bigger chance for me to be here—there was just conflict, and contracts, and a conflict of egos between a few people,” Piquet said.
“But it ended up with everything working well.”
“The problem is that these days contracts in Formula One don’t mean much, and we have seen several cases already of drivers and teams breaking contracts, and it just stays that way,” added the Brazilian. New York Times
“But it ended with everything working well. The problem is that these days a contract in F1 doesn’t mean much and we have seen several cases already of drivers and teams breaking contracts, and it just stays that way.”
“I have a better chance now that I have the same car (as team-mate Fernando Alonso), and not only that - but it also looks like the car is quite quick. Then it is an easier chance to show something.”
Piquet’s father Nelson Piquet won the world title three times and is now managing his son’s faltering career.
Piquet junior added: “I have been facing this kind of situation since last year. It is not something new for me. The level we are at motorsport, we need to know how to deal with it. Times of India
Piquet Jr. said he has adapted to driving under the shadow of teammate Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion.
“I have been facing this kind of situation since last year,” Piquet Jr. said. “It is not something new for me.”
Piquet Jr. said that defending F1 champion Lewis Hamilton had it tougher in his rookie campaign when the Briton openly sparred with Alonso, who then left McLaren after just one season.
“I would say dealing like Lewis was at the end of his first season—fighting for the championship—that must have been even harder than what I am going through,” Piquet Jr. said. “Lewis must have been through much more stress than I am at the moment. You need to know how to deal with these kind of things.” USA Today
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