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Legends: Nelson Piquet

Submitted by on March 6, 20117 Comments

When it comes to lists of Top 10 all-time Formula 1 drivers, the usual names always crop up: Fangio, Clark, Stewart, Moss, Prost, Lauda, Senna and Schumacher. Yet one guy, who won three World Championships, is rarely included – Nelson Piquet.

Why is that? Maybe its because he was a joker, and lived a very laid back life, and the fact that he didn’t seem to care, made others care little about him. What is he remembered for, three world titles, or fighting Eliseo Salazar in 1982?

When asked what winning the World Championship meant to him, his answer was; “it changes nothing. I still wake up in the morning, I am hungry to eat, and I fart. Just like everyone else.”

Or his view of Monaco, a circuit he hated. “It’s like racing a motorcycle around your living room.”

Even in those days, he was not a PR dream, and wound many people up, including his Brabham boss Bernie Ecclestone. But he was an extraordinary test driver, happy to pound around Silverstone for days. “I’m at my best when it’s a day full of laps, and just the Silverstone rabbits watching me…”

You cannot argue with his stats though: 23 wins, 60 podiums, 24 pole positions and 23 fastest laps. He also won championships against Alan Jones, Lauda, Prost, Mansell, Senna and Rosberg – strong opposition.

But the joker in him is still there. At Interlagos recently, for the Brazilian Grand Prix, he met up with his old foe Salazar. Both had suffered significant leg injuries in Indycar accidents since their F1 days, yet for fun they re-enacted the famous Hockenheim fight. They couldn’t raise their legs as high as they could in 1982, but they had a laugh. If only there were photographers that captured that.

by Andy Hallbery

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  • truyen thierry

    Nelson fut mon idole depuis son début de carrière un grand champion triple champion du monde son agressivité au volant sa bonne humeur à fait de lui une vraie légende

  • http://calculatorpi.com Jerry

    When I was at high school, Nelson Piquet was my idol. He was a great pilot but he also had a great sense of humor and a big heart. This article is very well written. Thank you.

  • Gordon

    possibly the most natural talent ever; just too lazy to fully exploit it. Some great moments on and off the track….more charisma in his bum fluff than most others of his time

  • http://www.motorsportretro.com Graham Dalley

    Hi Andy, he remains one of my favourite F1 drivers, One of the first drivers I was a ‘fan’ of. In the Brabham days he was untouchable, I still remember that first win at Long Beach in ’81 in the BT49, what did it for me, was he won championships in three very different cars the Cosworth engined Brabham BT49 a full on ground effect wing car, then when the regs changed the dart like BT52 BMW turbo and then the Williams FW11 Honda. And he went on to win again in another different type of F1 car in the form of the Benetton B192, All had their own characteristics. Great driver, big personality.

  • Bas Bleijenberg

    Nelson was my hero, remembering collecting photo’s and articles. Never got to see him racing in real life and thats a shame (for me). Specially the 1983 season with that awesome looking BT52 in sharp blue/white livery combined with his great red/white helmet design…its for me the best combination ever. Made a big impression on me when i was 10 years old and it still does today:)