Piquet confirms Renault axe, slams Briatore

 Piquet confirms Renault axe, slams Briatore
Nelson Piquet, Flavio Briatore, Fernando Alonso

Nelson Piquet on Monday confirmed he has been ousted from the Renault team.

In a statement posted on his official website, the 23-year-old Brazilian said it is with "with disappointment" that he has been served notice that he will be replaced.

"But, at the same time, I feel a sense of relief for the end of the worst period of my career," said Piquet, who slammed his team boss and personal manager Flavio Briatore.

He said he received "no attention at all" during his debut season in 2008, and claims that occasionally he would be threatened with the sack "15 minutes before qualifying and races".

Piquet revealed that he was promised equal conditions with Fernando Alonso this season but remained Renault's clear number two, with a performance-based contract "requiring me to score 40 per cent of Fernando Alonso's points" by mid-season.

But Piquet claims that in four of the first nine races in 2009, his R29 was a specification behind Alonso's car, and clearly blames Briatore.

"I always believed that having a manager was being a part of a team and having a partner. A manager is supposed to encourage you, support you, and provide you with opportunities. In my case it was the opposite.

"Flavio Briatore was my executioner," the Brazilian said.

 

Source: GMM

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 miladjuckel miladjuckel
stop bitchin piquet!
August 3, 2009 9:04 pm
 bone91 bone91
don't cry over a spilt milk!
August 3, 2009 10:43 pm
 Cootje Cootje
I miss a line of Piquet blaming himself for being a uncompetitive driver. He was a tame driver with absolute no aggression for defending his place. Perhaps he should first drive in a competition were he has to show his balls to stay in the race. And under no circumstance did Renault promise him equal conditions as Alonso. Alonso has already showed that he is a very good driver, that takes the maximum out of his car and himself. Whereas Piquet was only boulevard cruising over the circuit.
August 4, 2009 5:25 am
 astroturf777 astroturf777
remember that he had a go in A1 and was far TOO aggressive in style - he spent most of his time offroad - maybe next stop is WRC
August 4, 2009 5:41 am
 sw1000 sw1000
Yep, this has been handled badley and I do feel for the lad given the media speculation that has gone on for months. However he may consider Rallying as he spent a fair portion of time off the circuit.
August 4, 2009 8:17 am
 sb sb
Alonso is a crap teammate. He demands all the attention of the entire program or he will leave.
August 4, 2009 11:32 am