Piquet gone

BeN · Piquet gone

After Bourdais, it's now Piquet who's going.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/10907...to-drop-piquet-after-hungary-race

Nice Guy Eddie

Just when it seemed that Piquet was getting much closer to Alonso they ditch him. Seems a little harsh. I'd have kept him to the end of the season.

Big TC

I feel sorry for Piquet - he's difinitely getting closer to Alonso and even out-qualified him in Germany. I hope he gets a seat in a team where he'll be nurtured carefully - however, I suspect we'll not see him in an F1 car again.

Humphrey The Pug

Well it's happened and he's not a happy bunny.

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5471117,00.html

SpecB

If that's true then he has been treated fairly badly but then it is up to him to negotiate a decent contract.

He is not as talented as his dad (or we certainly haven't seen it yet) but I don't think he deserves that.

DaveGibson

He was second to Hamilton in GP2 so I doubt that he's that bad but then Mr Button was well f**ked by Briatore, wasn't he?

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

Chicken and egg situation, I think: he may have been treated badly, but he was hopeless. When following Friday practice on the Beeb website, it was almost predictable that Piquet would be in the gravel in no time at all.

Eff One

Serious case of destroyed confidence, I think. There's no Hamilton-esque gift lurking in there, but I reckon a different team would have got more out of Piquet.

Sadly, it's not to be. What F1 team would take him now?

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

Humphrey The Pug

He obviously wasn't given the same equipment and treatment as Alonso and to believe that he would is foolish on his part but he just made too many stupid mistakes and obviously just couldn't hack it in the high pressure F1 environment.

With a different team, STR perhaps or Williams he could've made a better stab at it, less pressure and a team manager who is more personable but I'm afraid his short F1 carreer is probably now over for good.

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

Twelfth Monkey

I must admit to being surprised at the support for him. A journeyman at best.

Scouse

Not the first to get shafted in favour of a Briatore favourite and probably not the last. But still, like Twelfth says, a journeyman at best.

Eff One

I don't think I or F1 will miss him, but I do think he's been rather unfortunate.

It's quite interesting to compare the fortunes of the three drivers I consider as F1's weakest, excluding Alguersuari for the moment: Piquet, Bourdais and Nakajima. All three are short of natural talent by F1 standards, each has a very different approach, and only one is still in a race seat.

Piquet was at sea from day 1. Limited confidence and self belief which was quickly undermined by poor results and a hostile team environment - never made the most of what talent he has.

Bourdais came with quite a pedigree and proved yet again that standards in Champ Car are nowhere near those in F1. His main problem appears to be raw speed, but he wasn't helped by elements within STR that were never particularly keen on him. Worst of all, he's a moaner and allegedly tetchy and difficult to work with - but lacks the genius that would make that worth the effort.

Nakajima is night and day by comparison. Rarely seen without a smile on his face, seems to accept his limitations and works incredibly hard to make the most of his abilities. He's said to be the fittest man in the pitlane. That may not be enough, of course - he's been unlucky this year, particularly at Silverstone, but needs a result soon. I always find myself rooting for him - can't help but admire his attitude and commitment.

SpecB

I think Nakajima has been incredibly brave this season with some of the manouvres he has pulled.