Nelson Piquet – A Career Retrospective

By Joe Murphy

The name “Nelson Piquet” is synonymous with Formula 1, with both positive and negative connotations. His real name is actually Nelson Sautomaior and he was born in Brazil in 1952. From a early age, he used his mother’s surname Piquet to hide his early racing adventures from his disapproving parents. Oh how wrong they would prove to be.

The evidence was hard to deny, even for determined parents. By the tender age of 12 he was one of the country’s most promising junior prospects, but of Tennis! However, as disclosed himself, it was only ever cars on the forefront of his mind. Inspired by Emerson Fittipaldi, Piquet began racing in his home of Brazilia.

Very quickly, he was winning championships in karts before gaining in victories in sportscars not long after. Despite this seemingly immediate success, he still failed to win over his parents, who sought to distract him by sending him to university to study philosophy, engineering and management. However, this was to no avail as Nelson failed to complete a single year. He sold his road car to buy a Formula Vee and in 1977 became the Brazilian champion in that category. Finally, his parents were starting to accept that the talents were too hard to deny.

A move to Europe to participate in Formula Three program was also a success. He won 50% of races to become champion. With F1 Teams keeping tabs, there was only one that took the punt. He first acted as an understudy to Niki Lauda in 1979, but when the Austrian veteran walked away from Formula One racing at the end of that season, he became first choice driver at Brabham for 1980. In his debut season, Piquet won three races and finished second to Alan Jones in the championship. In 1981 his upward trajectory continued and, with three more wins and a succession of high finishes in a brilliant Brabham BT49, he became World Champion for the first time.

Whilst his 1982 season didn’t prove to be as positive, it did include his own favourite victory at that year’s Canadian Grand Prix. Throughout the race, an oil radiator subjected his feet to 100 degree temperatures that made him scream with pain. And yet the thrill of victory was always worth it for this driver who once confessed: “Winning is a feeling which you cannot imagine. I sometimes piss my pants on the slowing down lap.”

It was these types of outrageous comments would eventually get him into trouble, though never with the Brabham sqaud, who even created a Fan Club for the legend.

In 1983, Piquet gained three more race wins and eventually bested Renault’s Alain Prost to win his second driving title. Nelson did consider retiring, but Lauda recommended otherwise. In 1987 he added to his collection of titles. Especially impressive considering a huge incident that year that left him with permenant damage. In fact, racing despite injury was a common theme for the Brazilian.

Away from the track, Nelson started to find time to enjoy his hobbies. Swimming, water skiing, watching TV and entertaining all the women. Put it this way, he has lots of children!

A move to Williams to boost his financial profile proved to have its ups and downs. The car was a winner and so were the team’s drivers: Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell. The problem was the team mates clashed and in 1986, ultimately cost each other. They were so preoccupied with each other that Alain Prost was allowed to beat them both to the driving title. The Brazilian accused Williams of favouring their British driver and tried to destabilize Mansell by publicly calling him “an uneducated blockhead” and defaming his wife. “Piquet is just a vile man,” Mansell said in response.

The following season, Piquet managed to win his third drivers title.

Failing to add any more titles to his name, a move to Lotus for a couple of seasons at the end of his career proved to be not big special. Finally, he spent two years at Benetton where his career ended. After winning twice in 1990 and once in 1991,he left F1 racing at the age of 40, though he wasn’t yet finished with motorsport as he continued to race in other competitions over that same decade including Indianapolis 500 which nearly ended his life after a terrible accident.

Business ventures throughout the 21st century enabled him to leave motorsport officially. His son entered F1bt could never replicate his father’s success. Although,in fairness, that would have been difficult for Nelson Piquet Jr.

Comments regarding racial profiles and Lewis Hamilton landed Piquet in hot water and brought his name back into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Despite his undeniably controversial comments, his talent was in no doubt. Truly, one of the all time greats. In racing terms, he must be viewed as such.

Lando FINALLY claims maiden win in Miami…

By Joe Murphy

A perfectly timed Safety Car helped Lando Norris take hsi first victory in Formula 1 after over 100 races. The McLaren has been so often the Bridesmaid never the Bride, but that all changed when F1 raced in Miami this past weekend.

At the start of the race, Verstappen lead from Piastri, as the other McLaren man had taken advantage of a Sergio Perez error that effected both Ferrari drivers. However, unusually, Max couldn’t pull away and build a lead, with the gap remaining at around the 3 second mark. Max hit a bollard which brought out a thirty second VSC, but nobody towards the front could capitalise.

A handful of laps later, Magnussen put his Haas where it has no right to be and subsequently took out home nation hero; Logan Sergeant. This brought out a much more elongated Safety Car, just a couple of laps after all the original front four had boxed. This meant Lando, who had held out longer on his medium tyre stint, inherited the lead.

With 24 laps to go on the restart, it was thankfully uneventful. Verstappen never really mounted a challenge and instead had Charles Leclerc closer to him behind. Norris kept building that lead and eventually crossed the line to take maximum points for the first time by a clear 7-second margin. Verstappen took second and Leclerc held his Ferrari teammate off for the final podium position as Ferrari took P3 and P4. Sergio Perez managed to hold off a race-y Lewis Hamilton as the pair claimed P5 and P6 respectively.

Lando’s win will understandably take the headlines, and deservedly so. However, Yuki Tsunoda did remarkably well to claim solid points for Team RB. This isn’t the first time we’ve said that this season.

George Russell could only claim lowly points, the same for Fernando Alonso. But it was a good day for Alpine who scored their first point of the season to move up to P8 in the Constructor’s standings after Estaban Ocon crossed the line P10, holding off Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg by just over a second.

Norris falls into Broken Glass, offers condition update…

By Joe Murphy

McLaren driver Lando Norris has been pictured with bandages covering his face and nose, after sustaining a nasty looking facial injury, less than a week before next weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. Not ideal preparations from the man who came second last weekend in the Chinese Grand Prix.

Images were released across social media on Saturday evening showing the young British driver surrounded by medical personnel. The picture shows a nasty cut to his face, believe to have been sustained while partying on a boat in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. The driver had been enjoying some well deserved celebrations during time off away from the track.

It is thought that Norris, 24, fell into broken glass. His participation in the Miami GP, one of three United States-based races on the current F1 calendar, is unlikely to be in doubt as he has notified fans he is complete fine, following the incident.

Hulk to Sauber, Bottas or Zhou to leave F1?

By Joe Murphy

Nico Hulkenberg has been officially confirmed as Audi’s first Formula 1 driver from next season, after the current Haas man revealed he will leave at the end of the current season.

The German has signed a multi-year contract that will see him drive for Sauber from 2025 until around his 40th birthday, after which the team will be taken over by German manufacturer Audi in 2026, with new regulations enforced.

This move now brings into question whether it will be Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu who will leave Sauber in December. Hulkenberg is a veteran of F1 by this point, has previously driven for Sauber, Williams, Force India, Renault, Racing Point and Aston Martin.

Sauber released a statement: “We are very pleased to welcome Nico back here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formula One. With his speed, his experience and his commitment to teamwork, he will be an important part of the transformation of our team and of Audi’s F1 project.”

Does this clear Bottas for a move back to Mercedes or is Guanyu Zhou’s time in F1 about to come to and end? Surely it’s a matter of weeks before we get concrete answers.

RED BULL IN CRISIS – Newey exits Constructor, Verstappen to follow?

By Joe Murphy

In a move that fans feared was written on the wall or some time, Adrian Newey has decided he wants to leave Red Bull effective immediately. The man who has overseen such success with the team over the two decades in the sport has indicated to Red Bull officials his wish to end his tenure with F1’s world champion team.

Senior sources at Red Bull say the team is yet to receive any formal resignation from Newey. In fact, the team were forced to come out with a statement on Thursday afternoon: “Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025 and we are unaware of him joining any other team.”

13 world titles in 18 years is some return, only beaten by Mercedes, Brawn and Ferrari in that time. They are set to add to these numbers, this coming year. Many believe his designs are the main reasons for the teams success and dominance in recent seasons especially.

He is understood to have extended his contract to the end of 2025 last May but this wouldn’t prevent him from handing in his notice. The question is now whether success, and indeed Max Verstappen, use this departure to plan their future. The Mercedes rumours fail to go away and this may have an impact. Moreover, the fact that this is to do with the Christian Horner allegations means there may be more to come from the ongoing saga.

Questions may also start to arise regarding a potential move to Ferrari, as fans started to speculate earlier this year when Lewis Hamilton announced his impending move to the Italian outfit.

NEW POINTS SYSTEM from 2025 as the FIA look at another change to F1!

By Joe Murphy

The old addage of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to allude the FIA. Back in the day, heck even as recently as this century, points were altered in F1. Now, an ideal to expand F1’s points-paying positions for 2025 has been brought to the table for discussions this week between the sport’s various, selective stakeholders.

Rather than points going towards the top ten, the new idea would instead see 12th position also achieve points. Points from 8th down to 10th would change, most likely 1 for 12th, 2 for 11th and so on. This could then mean 5 for 8th and 6 for 7th as is currently. Whether this has any direct correlation with the potential of more teams in the sport, remains to be seen.

This is not a rumour. Talks have been held and changes could be brought in as soon as January of next year. Although further meetings, votes and ratification would be required for such an alteration. Because stakeholders include the teams themselves, this means that a vote could be held where the constructors themselves vote on the future of the sports points awards, as we know it.

Max coasts from Lando, Ferrari squabble, Team RB HELL and Hamilton comes back!

Analysis of the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix – By Joe Murphy.

Max Verstappen extended his lead at the top of the tree with yet another win, this time his first at the Chinese Grand Prix. The race wasn’t without complications, but he survived two Safety Car restarts to eventually claim the victory with relative ease. Lando Norris and Sergio Perez were the other two drivers on the podium as both McLaren and Red Bull capped successful weekends.

George Russell and Fernando Alonso also scored points, as did Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, although all of these drivers would have hoped to be closer to the podium than they turned out to be. Oscar Piastri also had a successful Sunday but will be disappointed to be so far from his teammate.

Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen endured days to forget with both cars coming undone during the Grand Prix due to different problems. Valtteri’s car became stuck in gear. No sooner had marshalls had struggled to move the Sauber out of the way, the Dane suffered a puncture to scupper his race. Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo in the RB’s had the day from hell as neither finished the Grand Prix.

It was also a mixed race for Alpine. Whilst the cars of Estaban Ocon and Pierre Gasly managed to look semi-competitve, they still came away from the Chinese track without any points, finishing 11th and 13th respectively.

Lewis Hamilton turned a dreadful Saturday Qualifying into a result, adding two more points to Mercedes’ haul. They are unquestionably the 5th fastest car, probably behind Alonso’s Aston Martin you’d have to say. Although Lance Stroll in 15th could argue otherwise.

And despite having his moments, there was no happy homecoming for Guanyu Zhou as he could only muster a 14th place finish. An alarming 11 seconds off the points. This, coupled with Bottas’ misfortune, made sure Sauber are still pointless as we head into May.

Attention now moves to the next race in Miami in a couple of weeks, and whether anyone has any answers to the Red Bull machine. As the F1 season enters its third month, the answer still appears to be no.

Max Verstappen – The Face of F1?

By Z Lloyd

In short, you can say yes due to his stellar performance in this so far season, and the previous three straight championships he has earned himself surely proving his talent in this sport, but the real question is can we really make the statement so soon on if he can live up to the title many previous greats were bestowed upon. If you look at the statistics, you can see the evident star power he brings to Red Bull. For example, Max Verstappen has won 57 races out of 187 starts. Winning 30% of your career races alone is an unbelievable stat that few share.

However, stats are not the only factor for his success but rather his power to make his own winning positively affect his team and the racers around the Red Bull franchise. This is seen as before Verstappen’s arrival to Red Bull in the 2015 season, Red Bull were sitting in an uncomfortable 7 and 8th seed. Only one season after when Red Bull spotted their eyes on a valuable driver that could change the face of F1 Verstappen finished his season at a shocking 5th, a rather unusual jump for a racer who was 12th only a season ago.

Could one say Hamilton is not over. His move to Ferrari next season poses a threat to Verstappen’s future prowess in F1. Hamilton on addressing his move to Ferrari he states “My move has shown that anything is possible. I know and I am sure Max is on the list.”. This shows clearly, he knows of Verstappen as a formidable opponent in his driving career and does see potential in him.

Stats or similar situations cannot predict the future of F1 as only time can tell how this driver will be in the future and if he can truly be, The New Face Of F1.

Good day for Red Bull, mixed Mercedes fortunes as McLaren and Ferrari do battle…

By Joe Murphy

Nothing seems to be able to stop Max Verstappen at the moment. The Red Bull driver moved back to the top of the pecking order during Saturday’s 100km Sprint race at the Shanghai International Circuit as he turned P4 into P1 in convincing fashion. Alonso and Hamilton had no answers, and a gift from Lando Norris meant that the Dutchman and Championship leader won by over a dozen seconds. Perez came home in the final podium position.

Hamilton finished in second in a result that will please Mercedes, with even George Russell able to claim a single point in eighth. The action out front was nothing special beyond lap four, but a thrilling battle for third went in the favour of Sergio Perez way after an Alonso puncture cost him, whilst Leclerc and Sainz got in each other’s way. Lando Norris will regret running wide so early on. Perhaps his defense could have been more subtle or patient when trying to protect his lead. It didn’t work, but he still managed to amass a few points for McLaren, as did teammate Oscar Piastri.

Narrowly missing out on points was returning hero Zhou Guanyu, finishing ninth just a couple of seconds behind Russell’s Mercedes.

In the later qualifying session, Hamilton struggled and couldn’t escape Q1, so he will start tomorrow in P18. Zhou couldn’t get out of the first part of the session either, narrowly missing out of a spot in Q2 but 0.04 seconds as Yuki Tsunoda crashed out earlier than expected on the slippery track.

A sensational lap from Valtteri Bottas sent a Sauber into Q2 for the first time this season as he bested the Alpine pair, Alex Albon, Lance Stroll and Daniel Ricciardo to get into the final session of the day. Ricciardo will be happy to beat his teammate for the first time this year. Carlos Sainz recovered from a final corner spin and red flag to get into Q3 in convincing fashion behind the Red Bull pair.

And it was to no surprise that the Red Bull pair also finished 1-2 in Q3 too. Verstappen took his 5th Pole in as many races, besting his teammate by just under half a second. Everyone seemed to be in P2 for a while before having their time beaten by the next competitor. Fernando Alonso was in third by the end of the day as he continues to carry Aston Martin on his back with his standout performances. The McLaren pair followed suit followed by Leclerc and then Sainz. Russell and Hulkenberg did all they could do to finish in P8 and P9 respectively, ahead of the aforementioned Bottas.

Lance Surprises all to Stroll into P1, Ahead of Piastri, Verstappen…

By Joe Murphy

After nearly fourteen days away from the track, it was good to see the cars back out there. In a session where track development played an obvious part, Lance Stroll made sure it was his Aston Martin who was quickest, with teammate Fernando Alonso not as beneficiary of a late run.

A red flag may have brought a premature end to the session following a minor fire, but this didn’t prevent a busy session. On the contrary, in fact. It was Oscar Piastri who was the nearest challenger, demonstrating that McLaren do have pace around this circuit, whilst Max Verstappen kept within touch in P3, to remind us all that they remain favourites to take all the accolades this weekend. Sergio Perez followed suit.

Whilst it is only a Friday session, this signifies more importance than usual, considering that the schedule has been shaken up by the addition of a Sprint Race and Qualifying. So it is to be taken with a pinch of salt, but Haas will be very happy with how Practice 1 went. Touted by many to finish last in the Constructors’ champions, 5th and 6th place with please all involved with the team, as they suggested that points are not off the table this weekend.

Also impressing was Estaban Ocon who finished just behind this pair, although Pierre Gasly remained footed to the bottom of the order.

Daniel Ricciardo needs a strong weekend and he made a good start by putting in a time good enough to get into the top ten, with his teammate Yuki Tsunoda only able to manage three places further back in 12th.

As the weekend progresses, both Ferrari and McLaren will be hoping to improve and move up the order, hoping to challenge the likes of McLaren for what you imagine will be that final podium position. If anything happens to a Red Bull car, the rivals have to be there to give themselves half a chance. Still, there is plenty of action to come over the next 48 hours or so.