Nelson Piquet Brazilian racer Date of Birth: 17.08.1952 Country: Brazil

Biography of Nelson Piquet

Nelson Piquet, a popular Brazilian racing driver, was born on August 17, 1952, in Brazil. Despite coming from a prominent political family, Piquet's father disapproved of his son's interest in racing and tried to steer him towards tennis. However, Piquet's talent in karting and motorcycle racing quickly gained recognition within Brazil. To avoid his father's disapproval, he raced under his mother's surname, Piquet.

In 1977, Piquet ventured to Europe and participated in Formula 3 races. He quickly made a name for himself in England and in 1978, he won the BP Championship. This caught the attention of Formula 1 management. Piquet made his debut in the Grand Prix in 1978 and eventually partnered with Niki Lauda at the Brabham team. When Lauda left the team, Piquet became the lead driver.

In 1981, Piquet achieved victory in Las Vegas and two years later, he shone in Formula 1 races. After a few seasons of relative calm, Piquet moved to the Williams team in 1986. In the same season, he came close to winning the championship battle but fell short. However, in 1987, Piquet finally became a champion once again.

In 1988, Piquet switched teams and joined the Lotus racing group. His performance level declined and he became a mediocre driver. This led to a gradual loss of interest in prestigious races. In the early 1990s, Piquet raced for the Benetton team and demonstrated his high level of preparation, winning three times.

By the end of 1991, Piquet was hardly competing in Formula 1 and in 1992, he decided to test his skills in the Indianapolis 500 race. Unfortunately, he was involved in an accident that ended his career. Currently, Nelson Piquet enjoys his life at his leisure. He spends his free time on his luxurious yacht in the sea or flying his personal helicopter in the sky.