Articles Tagged ‘Nelson Piquet Jr’

Romain Grosjean for F1 return with Renault in 2011?

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 - Posted by Jack Sargeant

The 24-year-old Swiss Romain Grosjean is hoping for a return to F1 in 2011, and hinting that Renault is his best hope.

Grosjean replaced Nelson Piquet Jr at the French team in 2009 and unfortunately his time in Formula 1 is more remembered for crashes and spins – he drove just 7 races in F1 before being dumped by Renault at the end of the 2009 season. Grosjean explained:

“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. With all the problems around the team, it wasn’t easy; they wanted to make a clean sweep of the past. I want to come back in 2011. I’m not losing hope. When I see Fernando Alonso’s results with Ferrari this year, I think I deserve a place on the grid; my pace was far from being ridiculous – I was never more than two or three tenths off him in qualifying.”

Grosjean added that he is still in contact with Eric Bouiller, the new Renault team boss:

“I’m still in contact with Eric Boullier. We like and respect each other professionally and, once in Europe, I will walk around the paddock to establish other contacts and see if this could unlock something.”

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Posted in News, Renault | No Comments »

Force India keeping options open.

Thursday, November 19th, 2009 - Posted by Jack Sargeant

Force India logo

Force India are obviously keeping their options for 2010 drivers open – no less than 6 drivers are in the running for the seats, including the drivers who ended last season with the team; Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Giancarlo Fisichella who went to Ferrari last season to cover for the injured Felipe Massa will most likely stay at the Italian team as test driver next season with Massa and Fernando Alonso having the race seats, although Fisichella has not completely ruled himself out, saying:

“Why not? It is open. It could be Force India. There are a lot of teams without drivers so far.”

Another driver in the running is former Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. who was heavily involved in the ‘Crashgate’ scandal, although it seems his whistleblowing has not deterred Force India. Piquet said:

“I am close to Force India at the moment, but to me NASCAR is very interesting, so I don’t know yet what is going to happen. I don’t want to take a decision without knowing how things work here in the United States, so I came to be with the drivers and team owners.

“It is clear that the F1 cars are very much better technologically – the best in the world – but I find that if it is enjoyable, it doesn’t matter if I am racing in karts. The important thing is to compete.”

The other two drivers in the running are Pedro de la Rosa who was denied a drive at the new team Campos for the lack of Spanish sponsors that come with him, although he is still a possibility for the Force India drive.

The final driver rumoured to join the team sure is an interesting one – Scot Paul di Resta. Di Resta finished 3rd in this years prestigious DTM championship driving for the AMG Mercedes team, including one race win on home soil at Brands Hatch. Di Resta is set for a test at Jerez for the team in early December.

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Posted in Ferrari, Force India, News, Rumour | No Comments »

Renault set to stay in Formula 1?

Thursday, November 5th, 2009 - Posted by Jack Sargeant

2008 Renault

After the bombshell of Toyota pulling out yesterday, it seemed we were heading for a double-whammy with Renault calling an emergency meeting in Paris. However the result of that meeting sounds positive and it seems Renault will continue on the F1 grid in 2010.

The Enstone based team have had a tough 2 years, finishing 4th and 8th in the constructors championships, as well as the departure of Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds following the ‘Crashgate’ race fixing scandal involving Nelson Piquet Jr.

The team’s managing director Jean-François Caubet said:

“We have already contracted our drivers, had our budget approved and are enrolled in the world championship. Season 2010 has begun already. We will not be world champions in 2010, but we do have hopes to be much improved.”

Update 05/11/09 21:58GMT

Despite these quotes coming out of Renault, they are still not confirming they will or will not be on the grid next year and will make a decision by the end of the year.

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Posted in News, Renault | No Comments »

Could Piquet Jr Return to F1 for Campos?

Sunday, November 1st, 2009 - Posted by Formula1Blogger

Nelson Piquet Jr

Some news in the paddock this weekend that is causing a stir is that the recently departed Nelson Piquet Jr is in talks with new Formula 1 team Campos for a race seat next year. Campos only hours earlier on Saturday confirmed that Bruno Senna would drive for the team, with Pedro de la Rosa rumoured to be his team mate.

Bernie Ecclestone was talking to the Daily Telegraph about the possiblity of Piquet Jr going to Campos,

“It’d be good wouldn’t it, another good name. That’s what’s being talked about actually.”

This will alarm some, due to the fact the Piquet Jr, central to the “crashgate” episode with Renault in 2008, escaped with no punishment earlier this year. Whereas his team bosses weren’t so lucky, Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds were banned from the sport. Most believe Piquet Jr should have also received some kind of reprimand, he was at the wheel after all, however the FIA saw differently and gave him immunity for evidence.

At this time it is unknown why talks between the Spanish team Campos and de la Rose have stalled.

For more information on the Formula 1 driver lineup for 2010, check out our Ultimate Guide.

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Posted in Campos, Rumour | 2 Comments »

End of an F1 Season – A Few Goodbyes

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 - Posted by Formula1Blogger

With the 2009 Formula 1 season drawing to a close, there is the inevitable departures of drivers, team members, and in some cases – whole teams that needs to take place. Some will get reshuffled into new teams, some will go altogether, and some new blood will enter the paddock. Here’s a brief rundown of the F1 goodbyes in 2009.

Kimi Raikkonen & Fernando Alonso

Kimi Raikkonnen and Fernando Alonso

After 3 years with Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen is being replaced by Fernando Alonso. Raikkonen is yet to sign a deal with a new team for 2010, however he has been linked with a drive at McLaren and Toyota, the former being the most likely slot.

Raikkonen won the drivers world championship with the team in his debut year, as well as the constructers in 2007 and 2008.

There is also an outside chance the Raikkonen will leave the sport altogether. He has frequently mentioned when interviewed that if the right race seat doesn’t become available he will leave Formula 1 for good. We don’t think he’s bluffing…

Fernando Alonso also leaves his Renault team for the second time in his F1 career. With the team in disarray, Pat Symonds and Flavio Briatore also gone, it makes complete sense that Alonso would want to move away. That said, there are some whispers that the Ferrari deal has been in place since last year, however it couldn’t be made then for whatever reasons.

(more…)

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Posted in BMW Sauber, Brawn GP, Ferrari, Force India, McLaren, Renault, Toro Rosso, Toyota, Williams | 1 Comment »

Flavio Briatore to sue FIA over Lifetime F1 Ban

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 - Posted by Formula1Blogger

Flavio Briatore

Flavio Briatore has confirmed that he will now sue the FIA over his lifetime ban from F1 which he received earlier this season. As you probably remember, Briatore was implicated as part of the Renault “Crashgate” episode where he was deemed to be one of the main culprits behind the plan for his driver Nelson Piquet Jr to crash his car during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Briatore received a lifetime ban from the sport, this with Pat Symonds who received a 5 year ban, and Piquet Jr (you know, the guy that crashed the car) receiving immunity. Briatore said:

“The FIA has been used as a tool to exact vengeance on one man”

As such, he has now taken the FIA to the french courts in order to “resolve the matter justly and impartially”.

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Posted in News, Renault | No Comments »

Piquet Planned to goto Toro Rosso

Friday, October 16th, 2009 - Posted by Formula1Blogger

Nelson Piquet Jr

Nelson Piquet Senior has been talking to Gazzetta dello Sport regarding the recent crash scandal involving his son Nelson Piquet Junior, Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds and also about Piquet Jr’s possible drive at Toro Rosso.

“It was (Flavio) Briatore who wanted an extension (for 2009). I wanted Nelsinho to leave Renault and had found him a seat at Toro Rosso with Gerhard Berger. But Nelsinsho wanted to stay with Renault because there was the chance that Alonso would go to Ferrari.”

This may be all pie in the sky for all we know, but it makes sense. Yet again we saw a driver like Piquet Jr sidelined for the main event, this being Fernando Alonso. Throughout 2009 we’ve heard rumours of discontent from Piquet and Piquet Jr alike, Briatore threatening Piquet Jr with the sack, even before races. Not a nice working environment by all means.

Piquet goes on to describe his feelings on Briatore:

“He deserved it. Admittedly it wasn’t his idea, but to convince a young driver to do something like that is huge. He should stay far away from racing.”

Piquet also implicates Alonso in the crashgate scandal of last year, saying he was fully complicite with the plan:

“Do you think Alonso would conceive a race where he starts 15th and makes a pit stop almost straight away? It was a perfect plan.”

Piquet senior sounds like he’s been eating a few sour grapes recently – with Piquet Jr’s chances at landing another drive in F1 very very slim, his involvement too is slipping away.

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Posted in News, Renault, Toro Rosso | No Comments »