Nelson Piquet
Nelson Piquet Fredo Sotto Maior (known as Nelson Piquet, after the maiden name of his mother, born August 17, 1952 in Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver. Between 1978 and 1991, he competed in 204 Grand Prix races in Formula 1, and was at this time three times world champion.
Piquet was known primarily as the first world champion in Formula 1, who had won the title with a turbo engine ( 1983 BMW), and by his sometimes extremely extroverted manner in which he tried in public embarrass his opponents often. Piquet's son Nelson Angelo launched in the years 2008 and 2009, also in Formula 1
Career start
Nelson Piquet launched a classic Formula 1 career. At the age of twelve he went karting in a regional series. This Piquet was financially supported by his parents who kept the sport on a hobby. After initial weakness, he was third in the 1968 Brazilian Championship. Nevertheless, he devoted himself to continue to pay attention at school and made his Abitur in 1970. In 1971 he became Brazilian Champion and 1972 he was awarded a contract in Formula Super Vee, in which he was able to regularly maintain among the top ten. In 1977 he drove in the Italian Formula 3 Championship and has already won two races in the first year. In 1978 he raced in the British Formula 3, where he finished as champions. Piquet's F1 career began in the same year at Ensign and McLaren.
The years at Brabham
In 1979 he was team-mate Niki Lauda at Brabham, who described him as a " next world champion ." After his resignation he became the new number one at Brabham and developed in the following years a close working relationship with the designer Gordon Murray. In 1980 he became vice-champion behind the Australian Alan Jones. This and Piquet were wont to Jones ' resignation an intense rivalry. In 1981, he was in a duel with Carlos Reutemann for the first time world champion, where he also benefited from the lack of team orders in the Williams team and the resulting rivalry between Jones and Reutemann in the last race in Las Vegas. From 1982, he drove the new BMW turbo engine in its development, he played a key role as test driver. After the entire course of the season was marked in 1982 by the unreliability of the engine, Piquet could only win the Grand Prix of Canada. In Detroit Piquet experienced a low point when he caused could qualify by problems with the engine, not for the race. In 1983, this combination for the first World Cup title with a turbo engine. In the last race in South Africa, he overtook even the long leading on points Alain Prost in the Renault, the pioneer in turbocharging technology. In 1984, he failed to defend the title given the dominance of the McLaren team, who won 12 of 16 races; Piquet was able to again quick Brabham Although nine win the pole position, but only won two races and in turn had to contend with a series loss. Yet by the end of 1985 he remained loyal and Brabham was the media at this time as a star, which - as Jim Clark for Lotus in the 1960s - would take forever at Brabham. The 1985 season also came to the disappointment; Brabham BT54 had the while still a performance advantage thanks to the BMW engine, but the chassis was found to be less competitive and the Pirelli tires and Brabham also had a disadvantage compared to the Goodyear team. Piquet only won the race in Le Castellet, this victory should be also the last for Brabham.
Williams
In 1986 he moved surprisingly Brabham to Williams - Honda. It also financial reasons played a role, as Piquet candidly admitted: "I got from Bernie Ecclestone $ 1 million and asked for twice - still much less than Prost received. He offered me $ 1,600,000, plus thousand dollars a World Championship point and thought it would be enough to hold me tight. I was not ready to argue, immediately went to Williams and said I was ready to sign. Frank Williams bid was $ 3.3 million plus ten thousand dollars a championship point. "Originally by Frank Williams as number 1 driver committed, he delivered two years duels with his teammate Nigel Mansell, one as Briton in the British Williams team held strong position as Piquet realized after his arrival. Piquet attacked while Mansell and off the track in several interviews; next repeated personal attacks ( Piquet commented negatively and disparagingly of Mansell as well as his wife Roseanne ), he criticized especially his lack of skills in testing and tuning the cars. In 1986, he won the opening race in Brazil Jacarepaguá and dedicated this victory to the recently heavy casualties Frank Williams. At the race in Hungary Piquet scored a memorable overtaking maneuvers when he at the end of the home straight the line of battle propelled Ayrton Senna overtook the outside, intercepted his oversteering car there and the leadership claimed. At the end of the season he was third in the World Cup, but would with a victory in the last race they can still win. In a dramatic season finale in Adelaide both Piquet and Mansell and Prost had a chance to win the title. Piquet was second just behind Prost, causing it won the title in 1986.
The following year, Piquet had at the beginning of the season at Imola a serious accident at the Tamburello curve ( in the 1994 Ayrton Senna died in an accident ), so he was still handicapped health for months, according to his own statement. At the race at Imola, he was unable to attend on the advice of chief physician Sid Watkins. The World Championship in a re- marked by the dominance of the Year Honda -powered car he won yet and this, although Mansell 6 victories won during the season, while Piquet himself could win only 3 wins. Like last year, he again won the race in Germany, Hungary and Italy. At the race in Monza Piquet won thanks to the active suspension that was used on his car. Despite Mansell's victories, he secured his third world championship by constant points, while Mansell crucial points awarded by risky maneuvers, such as a collision with Senna at the race in Spa -Francorchamps, both forced to give up and an accident while training in Suzuka International Racing Course. Asked about his victory over Mansell commented Piquet the outcome of the World Cup smugly: "This is the victory of good fortune about the stupidity ".
Lotus, Benetton and farewell from the F1
In 1988 he moved to the separation from Williams and engine supplier Honda Lotus - Honda, where he again signed a gutdotierten two-year contract; This change meant the relegation of his career, because the stagnating Lotus team his earlier successes were denied and he never was one of the contenders for the world title. In the following years he was then severely criticized, especially by the British press. Former world champion and former TV commentator James Hunt publicly put him in mid-1989 in a column near his resignation. For the 1990 season Piquet signed instead a performance-based contract with the Benetton team, who admitted him $ 100,000 a championship point; Piquet drove a strong season and won the last two World Cup races in Suzuka and Adelaide; at the end of the season he was third in the settlement. In 1991, the Benetton team of Goodyear, Pirelli and committed instead of the crashed Alessandro Nannini Piquet's compatriot and friend Roberto Moreno. Piquet won his last victory at the world championship race in Montreal, Canada. However, the end of 1991 no longer Benetton extended his contract after team boss Flavio Briatore had committed the young talent Michael Schumacher.
After his career in Formula 1, he joined the Champ Car World Series. There he was killed in 1992 while training for the 500 miles of Indianapolis hard and pulled to significant leg injuries. A angedachte renewed commitment by Benetton smashed like that. Nevertheless, he tried again in 1993, to qualify at Indianapolis. He started 13th, but finished the race only 32 when he came far due to an engine failure just 38 laps. After that, he only competed in several sports car races.
Overall, Piquet won 23 Grand Prix victories and won in 1981, 1983 and 1987 World Cup. He drove 204 Formula 1 races and is one of the few drivers who are denied more than 200 Grand Prix. Piquet was a top specialist for high -speed lines such as Monza, Zeltweg and the Hockenheimring, which he once described as his favorite course throughout his career. However, he had, unlike his countryman Senna, a pronounced aversion to tight street circuits like Monaco and Detroit.
Private, Other
Piquet is 1,74 m tall. He is married for the second time; his first wife he was married (divorced since 1986) with Maria Clara, now he is married to Viviane. He has six children.
Piquet is known for his outspoken and sometimes provocative way. With several other successful drivers such as Alan Jones, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna, joined him over the years an intense rivalry. Both on Mansell as well as on Senna, he expressed negatively in a personal way; according to his own statement in an interview with the magazine F1 Racing in June 2008, his verbal attacks against Mansell not meant personally, but to intensify the rivalry and to split the Williams team. After James Hunt had suggested to him in a column published in the British The Times in mid-1989 and the resignation speculated Piquet driving now only because of the high fees, Piquet said in rude manner over the former World Champion. At the Grand Prix of Germany 1982 Piquet made headlines when he physically attacked after a collision Eliseo Salazar, which was shown live on television.
In July 2007, Piquet and his wife Viviane driving licenses were revoked after repeated violations of traffic regulations.
After Piquet two race tracks are named in Brazil.