Nelson Piquet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nelson Piquet
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Piquet in 2022
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| Born |
Nelson Piquet Souto Maior
17 August 1952 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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| Spouse(s) |
Maria Clara
(m. 1977; div. 1978)Sylvia Tamsma
(m. 1978; div. 1993)Viviane de Souza Leão
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 6, including Nelson Jr., Kelly and Pedro |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Brazilian |
| Active years | 1978–1991 |
| Teams | Ensign, privateer McLaren, Brabham, Williams, Lotus, Benetton |
| Entries | 207 (204 starts) |
| Championships | 3 (1981, 1983, 1987) |
| Wins | 23 |
| Podiums | 60 |
| Career points | 481.5 (485.5) |
| Pole positions | 24 |
| Fastest laps | 23 |
| First entry | 1978 German Grand Prix |
| First win | 1980 United States Grand Prix West |
| Last win | 1991 Canadian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1991 Australian Grand Prix |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
| Years | 1996–1997 |
| Teams | BMW |
| Best finish | 8th (1996) |
| Class wins | 0 |
Nelson Piquet Souto Maior (born 17 August 1952) is a Brazilian former racing driver and businessman. He competed in Formula One from 1978 to 1991. Piquet won three Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles in 1981, 1983, and 1987. He also won 23 Grand Prix races during his 14 seasons.
Before racing, Piquet played tennis but lost interest. He then started karting in secret. He became the Brazilian national karting champion in 1971–72. In 1976, he won the Formula Vee Brazil championship. With advice from racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi, Piquet went to Europe. There, he set a record for most wins in Formula Three in 1978.
In 1978, he made his Formula One debut with the Ensign team. He also drove for McLaren and Brabham. Piquet joined the Brabham team full-time in 1979. He finished second in the championship in 1980. Then, he won his first championship in 1981. The 1982 season was tough due to engine problems. But he came back strong in 1983 to win his second world championship.
Piquet moved to the Williams team in 1986. He fought for the title until the very last race. In 1987, he won his third and final championship. This was after a tough battle with his teammate Nigel Mansell. Their relationship became difficult. Piquet then moved to Lotus for 1988–89. He later joined the Benetton team for 1990–91. There, he won three more races before retiring.
After Formula One, Piquet tried racing in the Indianapolis 500. He also raced sports cars. Today, Piquet is retired and runs several businesses in Brazil. He also helps manage the racing careers of his sons, Nelson Jr. and Pedro.
Contents
Early Life and Racing Start
Piquet was born on August 17, 1952, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His father was a doctor who later became the Minister for Health. Piquet was the youngest of four children.
He started kart racing at age 14. His father did not approve of racing. So, Nelson used his mother's maiden name, Piquet, to hide his identity.
Piquet's father wanted him to be a professional tennis player. Nelson even got a scholarship to a school in the United States. He started playing tennis at age 11. He won tournaments in Brazil and traveled to California. There, he improved his English and matured a lot. He was a good tennis player but found motor racing more exciting.
In 1974, Piquet left his engineering course at university. He worked in a garage to pay for his racing. He had no money from his family.
Back in Brazil, Piquet and friends bought a go-kart. He became a national champion in 1971 and 1972. He also won the local Formula Super Vee championship in 1976. Emerson Fittipaldi, a Brazilian Formula One world champion, advised him. Piquet then went to Europe. In 1978, he broke Jackie Stewart's record for most wins in a British Formula 3 season.
Formula One Journey
Piquet first raced in Formula One in 1978. He drove for Ensign in Germany. He then drove for McLaren in three more races. His best finish was ninth place in Italy.
Brabham Team (1978–1985)
For the last race of 1978, Piquet joined the Brabham team. He stayed with Brabham until 1985.
First Full Season (1979)
In 1979, Piquet raced his first full Formula One season. He was teammates with Niki Lauda, a double world champion. The team had a tough year. Piquet retired from many races. He scored his first points in the Netherlands, finishing fourth.
He had a big crash in Italy but was not hurt. Piquet often qualified well, even better than Lauda. Lauda suddenly left the team before the Canadian Grand Prix. This made Piquet the main driver for Brabham. In the final race, Piquet showed the new BT49 car's potential.
Championship Contender (1980)
In 1980, Piquet finished second in Argentina. He then won his first race in Long Beach, California. Five months later, he won two more races in the Netherlands and Italy. He finished second in the drivers' championship, behind Alan Jones. In Canada, Piquet and Jones crashed at the start. Jones won the race and the championship.
First World Title (1981)
The 1981 season started with some rule changes. Teams found ways around the rules. Brabham created a special suspension system. This allowed their car to be low to the ground while racing. Piquet easily won in Argentina.
He also won the San Marino Grand Prix. In Belgium, he crashed with Jones and retired. He led the French Grand Prix until rain caused a stop. After the restart, Alain Prost won, and Piquet finished third.
Piquet made a great comeback to win the championship. He won the German Grand Prix. He then scored points in other races. He went into the final race just one point behind Carlos Reutemann. At the Caesars Palace Grand Prix in Las Vegas, Piquet finished fifth. This was enough to win his first world title. He was so tired from the heat that he had to be lifted from his car.
Engine Troubles (1982)
In 1982, Piquet was fast, but his car was unreliable. Brabham used new BMW turbo engines. These engines were powerful but often broke down. Piquet won the Brazilian Grand Prix in Brazil. He fainted on the podium from exhaustion. He was later disqualified because his car was too light.
His only official win was in the Canadian Grand Prix. This was BMW's first Formula One win. In Germany, Piquet crashed with Eliseo Salazar. He was so angry that he physically confronted Salazar on live television.
Second World Title (1983)
Piquet won the first race in Brazil in his new BT52 car. He finished second in France and Monaco. With three races left, he was 14 points behind Alain Prost. But Piquet won back-to-back races in Italy and Brands Hatch. This brought him within two points of Prost.
At the final race in South Africa, Prost retired. Piquet finished third, winning his second world title. This was the first time a turbocharged car won the championship.
New Rules, New Challenges (1984)
New rules in 1984 limited fuel and banned refueling. Piquet was a favorite to win. The BMW engine was thought to be good for fuel economy. Piquet set a record with nine pole positions that year.
The McLaren team dominated the season. In Canada, Brabham added a radiator to the car. Piquet won the race, but the radiator got so hot it burned his foot. He went to the podium barefoot. He also won in Detroit. These were his only two wins that year. He finished fifth in the championship.
Last Year with Brabham (1985)
In 1985, Piquet won only one race, the French Grand Prix. He was frustrated with Brabham. He felt his salary was too low. He also disliked the team's switch to Pirelli tires. He felt it was only for money.
Piquet was close with the team's mechanics. But he needed financial security for his future. Williams offered him a contract three times bigger. Their Honda engine was also becoming very strong. Piquet decided to leave Brabham after seven seasons and two championships.
Williams Team (1986–1987)
Teammate Rivalry (1986)
In 1986, Piquet joined Williams. His teammate was Nigel Mansell, a fierce rival. Honda reportedly paid most of Piquet's salary. Piquet thought he would be the number one driver. But then Frank Williams, the team owner, had a serious car accident. The team was then led by Patrick Head, who was also Mansell's engineer.
Piquet and Mansell had the best cars. But their rivalry caused them to lose points to each other. This allowed Alain Prost to win the championship. Piquet won four races that year, more than in any of his championship seasons.
Piquet was angry that Williams did not favor him. He felt they should have let him win more races. He believed he could have easily won the championship.
Third World Title (1987)
Piquet won his third world title in 1987. He used his skill and political smarts to get ahead. He was also very good at testing and improving the Williams car. The car was clearly the best that year.
Piquet had a big crash in qualifying at Imola. The doctors told him not to race. He later said the crash affected him psychologically. He had trouble sleeping.
Piquet won fewer races than Mansell in 1987. But he consistently finished on the podium. He called this his "percentage driving policy." He announced he would join Lotus as the main driver. This was a big reason Honda left Williams for McLaren in 1988. Honda felt Williams did not support Piquet enough.
Lotus Team (1988–1989)
Tough Years (1988)
Piquet joined the Lotus team in 1988. His career slowed down. The Lotus car was not good, even with the powerful Honda engine. Piquet had no wins in 1988. His fellow Brazilian, Ayrton Senna, won eight races and the championship for McLaren. Piquet only managed three third-place finishes.
Before the 1988 season, the Rio de Janeiro circuit was renamed in Piquet's honor.
More Struggles (1989)
Piquet had another disappointing year in 1989. The Lotus car had less power than other teams. He finished fourth in the British Grand Prix, which was a good result for the car. He and his teammate even failed to qualify for the Belgian Grand Prix. This was Piquet's first non-qualification since 1982.
Benetton Team (1990–1991)
Return to Form (1990)
Lotus told Piquet they would use a Lamborghini engine in 1990. He decided to leave, believing the engine would not be competitive.
Piquet found a spot with the Benetton team. He signed a deal where he would be paid based on his results. This motivated him to return to his top form in 1990.
Piquet won two races at the end of the season. His first win was in Japan. His second was in Australia, the 500th Formula One Grand Prix. He finished third in the championship.
Final Season (1991)
Piquet won his final Formula One race in Montreal in 1991. He won after Nigel Mansell's car stalled on the last lap. Later in 1991, his teammate was replaced by Michael Schumacher. Piquet talked to other teams about driving for them. But in January 1992, he announced his retirement from Formula One. He wanted to focus on his businesses.
Other Racing Adventures
Indianapolis 500 (1992–1993)
Piquet tried racing in the American IndyCar series. He was hired to drive in the 1992 Indianapolis 500. He was comfortable driving on the oval track. But during practice, his car hit debris and crashed. Piquet suffered serious foot and ankle injuries. He could not race that year. He returned in 1993 and qualified 13th. However, he retired early due to engine problems.
Sports Car Racing (1980–1981, 1996–1997, 2006)
Piquet also raced sports cars. He won the 1981 1000km Nürburgring race with Hans-Joachim Stuck.
In 1996, Piquet raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He finished eighth. In 1997, his car retired due to an accident. That same year, he won the Mil Milhas Brasileiras race.
On January 20, 2006, Piquet won the 50th Mil Milhas Brasileiras. He drove an Aston Martin with his son, Nelson Piquet Jr., and other drivers. After the race, a tired Piquet said he would "never sit in a cockpit again."
Helping Young Drivers
Since 2000, Nelson Piquet has supported his son, Nelson Piquet Jr., in his racing career. Nelson Jr. raced in GP2 and was a test driver for Renault F1. Nelson Piquet also helped resolve a dispute with his son's team.
Helmet Design
Piquet's helmet is white and red. It has a thick line like the seam on a tennis ball. This might be because his father wanted him to be a tennis player. It also has teardrop shapes on the sides and top. These were usually red or orange. During his Lotus years, some parts were yellow due to sponsorship. His sons, Nelson Jr. and Pedro, use similar helmet designs.
Business Ventures
After leaving motor racing, Piquet started Autotrac in 1992. This company helps track trucks using satellites. It was very successful because Brazil's freight transport relies on trucks.
In 2000, Piquet founded Piquet Sports, a racing team. Its goal was to help Nelson Piquet Jr. race in Formula Three.
Piquet runs other businesses in Brasília. His net worth is around US$200 million.
Personal Life
Piquet still enjoys competitive sports car racing for fun. He famously said that racing in Monaco was like "riding a bicycle around your living room." But he also said "a win there was worth two anywhere else."
Piquet has six children. His first marriage lasted one year and they had a son. His second marriage produced three children, including Nelson Angelo Piquet and Kelly Piquet. He has another son from a past relationship. He has two children with his current wife, including Pedro Estacio Piquet.
Piquet was added to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2000. Two racing circuits in Brazil are named after him. He is considered one of the greatest Formula One drivers.
In 2012, Piquet said that his 1987 crash at Imola affected him. He lost some of his depth perception. He secretly visited a hospital every two weeks. He feared his team would not let him drive if they knew. He said he should have won in 1986, and Mansell in 1987. After 1987, he said he drove for the money. This was because his condition made it hard to lead races from the front.
On November 11, 2013, Piquet had heart surgery and fully recovered. He lives in a large home on a farm near Brasília. It has a private car museum and an airstrip.
Images for kids
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Piquet driving for Brabham at the 1980 Dutch Grand Prix
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Piquet driving the Cosworth powered Brabham BT49C at the 1981 Monaco Grand Prix.
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Piquet at Monza in 1983
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Piquet driving a Brabham BT53 in the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix.
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Piquet driving the BMW powered Brabham BT54 at the 1985 German Grand Prix in his last year with the team.
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Piquet driving for Lotus at the 1988 Canadian Grand Prix, leading Nigel Mansell in a Williams.
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Piquet at the 1991 United States Grand Prix
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Piquet driving a BMW M1 sports car at the Nürburgring in 1980.
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Piquet's helmet in 1987.
See also
In Spanish: Nelson Piquet para niños
