European GP – The desire for success is real for Piquet

While the Renault team has just announced that it will take several more weeks to know its 2009 driver lineup, Nelson Piquet must absolutely continue in the same momentum that has led him to score points in the last two Grand Prix.

This race, on the Valencia circuit, is a new addition to the 2008 calendar. The Brazilian, as a rookie, will discover this track along with the rest of the field but will be, this time, on the same level as his competitors.

Nelson, you had a solid race in Hungary, which confirms your great result in Germany. Is this the breakthrough you were waiting for?

« I don’t really know, but what is certain is that I’m happy to have scored points in Hungary. It was important for the team, for me. The weekend generally went very well. The car responded well, I drove a lot during the practice sessions on Friday and Saturday morning, I was in the rhythm, and I felt comfortable. It’s always more enjoyable to experience this kind of race, and I hope to continue this way for the rest of the season. »

You are preparing to compete in the first European Grand Prix in Valencia, a circuit that all drivers on the grid will be discovering. How are you approaching this race?

« Let’s say that for me this year, I had to discover several circuits, the advantage this time is that I won’t be the only one! I think from a championship perspective it’s interesting to see new tracks, it’s an additional challenge for the drivers but also for the teams. As far as I’m concerned, I worked a lot with the team to approach this race in the best way, I will try to quickly get into the rhythm and take advantage of every practice lap to find my bearings. »

What do you think of the route itself?

« It’s a road course, so it will inevitably be tricky but even more interesting as well! It’s always more difficult to discover a new circuit, but as I said, this time it will be the case for all the teams and drivers on the grid, so it will be interesting to see who will be the most comfortable the quickest.

What are your expectations for this new race?

« I would like to continue having a solid race weekend: with good practice sessions on Friday, a qualifying session in the Top 10, and a good race pace with points if possible. In any case, that’s how I will approach this race. After the summer break, I am well-rested and really want to have a great end to the season. »

According to a press release from Renault F1 Team