Team Brazil

Paddockman · 28 Jan 2006, 22:16 (Ref:1510970)

Anyone got any views on Piquet's very average performance in Durban?

My view unfortunately is rather simple IMO he has no balls!
Put him on a circuit which requires some kind of bravery and he struggles!!

This may be an over simplification of his performance but he is yet to prove me wrong.

Kebab · 29 Jan 2006, 00:27 (Ref:1511040)

If you ask me, I think he's been steadily losing the plot - I reckon he thought he'd walk it at the beginning of the season and now he's realising Team Brazil isn't the best out there ...

**Asp** · 29 Jan 2006, 09:03 (Ref:1511129)

I think most of the paddock thought after the first round that Brazil were going to walk it and it was going to be a boring season.
I don't think Piquet is a bad driver - Brands is a classic "drivers circuit" and it does take skill there. Durban is just different, I can't remember how much experience he has on street tracks but the bumps can surprise normally good drivers.
The question really is did he do well at Brands because of circuit experience; has he or the team got worse [I doubt it]; have the other teams upped their game at a much faster rate than Team Brazil? Personally I feel most of the weight should be put on the latter, and also we need to see if Durban is a bogey circuit and things will go back to a more normal level next time out.

strider · 29 Jan 2006, 10:29 (Ref:1511160)

John Watson said yesterday that Piquet didn't seem to be his normal self. Thinking back to his F3 days in Macau and Korea, I don't think he does particularly like street circuits, though, but he should have been in the top six.

Let's see what the races bring. I fear Safety Cars galore, in which case it could be anyone's race.

wi11iamm · 30 Jan 2006, 12:15 (Ref:1511848)

Fastest lap in feature race...and wasnt it fastest lap of weekend? Where did he get that pace from? Seems he has the speed when he puts his mind to it.

Made amateur mistake in first race though. Then totally lost it in the pits.

strider · 30 Jan 2006, 13:59 (Ref:1511927)

Yes, it was the fastest lap of the weekend, on the penultimate lap of the race after the pit stop. Apparently the pit stop was delayed until then because Emerson Fittipaldi thought it was going to rain...

**bella** · 30 Jan 2006, 14:13 (Ref:1511935)

would it be fair to say that where piquet has usually had the advantage in other series he's had a chance to test and get to know the track first? at a track like durban where there's no chance of knowing the track he had to do his learning in public...

crozier74 · 30 Jan 2006, 14:47 (Ref:1511952)

Seriously doubt it's a question of lacking balls.

He was supposedly the quickest guy in BF3 through the quick stuff like Druids at Oulton and the Rockingham chicane.

He does seem to have been rather underwhelming of late though.

AlMillion · 31 Jan 2006, 22:19 (Ref:1513080)

Of course Piquet got the fastest lap at the end of the day on new rubber ... by then the track would have been at its best and he had nothing to lose. Everyone else was probably bringing it home on very worn rubber as they pitted early.

strider · 1 Feb 2006, 00:17 (Ref:1513140)

Piquet had already lapped faster than everyone else on old rubber...

AlMillion · 1 Feb 2006, 07:00 (Ref:1513262)

2'47.275 GBR GREAT BRITAIN 2 1'21.140 145.7 15:40
12'14.508 NZL NEW ZEALAND 7 1'20.551 146.7 15:50
13'34.834 NZL NEW ZEALAND 8 1'20.326 147.1 15:51
13'36.675 BRA BRAZIL 8 1'20.263 147.3 15:51
13'38.191 CZE CZECH REPUBLIC 7 1'19.755 148.2 15:51
29'25.060 IRL IRELAND 10 1'19.494 148.7 16:07
30'58.202 BRA BRAZIL 19 1'19.423 148.8 16:09
1:00'31.005 BRA BRAZIL 39 1'18.178 151.2 16:38

Near as dammit the same time as team Ireland did 9 laps previously - the above shows how the times kept falling throughout the race. Some were trying hard but stuck behind other cars, others had already used their boosts, etc. etc.. Only 9 cars finished the race!

I think it is safe to say Brazil had nothing to lose being nearly 30 seconds behind the car in front and running last. Perhaps his car's setup was also working a lot better with the higher levels of grip or just that he was much more used to the track ... we'll never know.

Kebab · 1 Feb 2006, 23:57 (Ref:1513904)

I think it'll all be closer again at the next race - some people are street race specialists and I'd imagine setup is a pain in the bum due to the bumps, etc..

While accidents, mistakes, bad reliability, etc. add to the excitement, it would be nice for people to finish more based on performance/skill than luck! Brazil, GB, Ireland have all had more than their fair share of back luck.

kmsport · 4 Feb 2006, 06:33 (Ref:1515263)

maybe he just had a bad weekend...although I was suprised...

cos · 4 Feb 2006, 17:50 (Ref:1515543)

Is there any word on a new driver for Brazil in the next few (specifically American) races? Since Carpentier and Herta are being drafted in for Canada and USA might they bring in Kanaan or da Matta for Brazil?

cos · 7 Feb 2006, 16:45 (Ref:1517366)

I'll answer my own question - Christian Fittipaldi is replacing Piquet this weekend and for the rest of the season it appears.

Matt · 7 Feb 2006, 21:02 (Ref:1517519)

Piquet was awesome at Brands, and average at just about everywhere else. I see it as he doesn't have the 'gonads' to pass someone. I think he's too scared to try, afraid of mucking up the car.

Paddockman · 7 Feb 2006, 21:30 (Ref:1517535)

Trobule is I see Fittipaldi as very similar!

**bella** · 7 Feb 2006, 21:34 (Ref:1517539)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattA1

Piquet was awesome at Brands, and average at just about everywhere else. I see it as he doesn't have the 'gonads' to pass someone. I think he's too scared to try, afraid of mucking up the car.

can't begin to describe how wrong that is! having watched him in formula 3 for 2 years, he's got plenty of very good racing experience.

anyone know if piquet senior has sold his share in the franchise too?

Marcel ten Caat · 7 Feb 2006, 21:57 (Ref:1517558)

Piquet apparently lost 'it' during his GP2 season. F1 teams that had him test 'for free' are now asking money or contracts that he, his dad + management team don't want to sign.

How hard can one fall...

hotwheels · 7 Feb 2006, 22:15 (Ref:1517574)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattA1

Piquet was awesome at Brands, and average at just about everywhere else. I see it as he doesn't have the 'gonads' to pass someone. I think he's too scared to try, afraid of mucking up the car.

I agree that Piquet Jr. should quit from A1 GP to save his image. But I can't see him as a scared driver at all. The boy can be "not as good" as some people think, but he is far ahead from an average driver.

C. Fittipadi in the team will attract more crowds in America, anyway. I think it worths the switch.

strider · 8 Feb 2006, 00:25 (Ref:1517673)

Team Brazil has given a perfectly rational explanation for the change - here - so I really don't see why there should be such hysteria. Piquet probably needs a break before the start of GP2 testing and racing, but he certainly hasn't lost it.

Kebab · 8 Feb 2006, 09:53 (Ref:1517903)

For some reason Piquet Senior was quoted as slagging off GP Masters on Autosport and also bragging about how he reckons his business will make him more money than Schumacher ... there may be animosity between him and Emerson?!

jluisfer · 16 Feb 2006, 12:52 (Ref:1524271)

Like father like son,Piquet Senior hates street racing,he hates Monaco grand prix and it seems that is son don't like either this type of circuits

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