Chinese GP: A few months later, Piquet returns for the points
The first two races of Nelson Piquet strangely resembled his 2008 season since he didn’t manage to score any points. His qualifying performances were more than mediocre. However, the Brazilian might have a secret weapon in China revealed a little earlier this week by his team, Renault. Double diffusers are allowed from now on, and […]
The first two races of Nelson Piquet strangely resembled his 2008 season since he didn’t manage to score any points. His qualifying performances were more than mediocre.
However, the Brazilian might have a secret weapon in China revealed a little earlier this week by his team, Renault. Double diffusers are allowed from now on, and the French team had anticipated this. The component could make its appearance as early as this weekend. So why not a battle at the forefront with Brawn GP or Toyota.
Nelson Piquet, the race in Malaysia was very chaotic. Can you summarize your race…
« I made a good start to the race by gaining four places. Things were going well during the first stint despite being heavy on fuel. The car’s balance was good on a dry track, but when it started raining, we were forced to pit earlier than planned. The conditions in the rain were really dreadful; it was almost impossible to drive the car: visibility was very poor, and we kept aquaplaning. For the team, it was difficult to make the right decision at the right time, and they did a good job. Races in these conditions are always a bit of a lottery. It’s a shame we couldn’t make a new start. These conditions are the worst I’ve ever seen in a Grand Prix. »
After two races, what is the atmosphere like within the team?
« The team is very motivated and determined for China. We improved the car between Australia and Malaysia, and we need to continue to improve our performance in China. I know that the factory teams are working hard to bring improvements, and I am certain that we are going to get stronger and stronger. »
You scored points last year in China during your first year in Formula 1. What are your goals this year?
« After two races this season, we have noticed how close the teams are to each other; my goal is to score points. I need to improve my performance during the qualifying session to reach Q2 or Q3 and have a good race strategy. We also have to consider the performance of the tires because the Shanghai circuit is demanding on the rubber. Therefore, we need to work a lot on the evaluation during Friday’s free practice sessions to be well prepared for the race.
