Nelson Piquet Jr., the driver who brought down Flavio Briatore, in Formula One’s Renault crash-gate scandal, took another step towards a NASCAR career with his second test of a NASCAR racing truck, for Red Horse Racing, which took place last week at New Smyrna, Florida.
The Brazilian-born son of the three-time World Champion driver said he’s looking over in the United States for his future after turning down a ride in Formula One.
“I could’ve been there if I wanted to. A team offered me to be there. I just thought I was sick and tired of all of the stuff over there. I just took a decision of starting a new step in my career and a new challenge in coming to NASCAR. For a lot of people who are outside of America, it’s a downgrade. But for people that really understand -- maybe it’s a downgrade in technology of the car -- but in terms of career, of how big the sport is in a lot of ways it’s even a tougher step than F1.”
What was the deciding factor? I think the biggest... point is that I’m having a lot of people behind me helping me, wanting me to be here. A lot of people that I trust and I’m liking.”
He’s close to signing a contract, but, still all the pieces are not in place. “Hopefully I will be able to do races with Red Horse Racing. I still don’t have the whole plan decided,” he said.
After two test sessions Piquet has a long way to go “I think I’ll really feel the excitement in the first race. To me, it’s still testing and everybody is still very friendly and everything. I think when we reach a race weekend that’s going to be when the real excitement is going to come and I’m going to really feel what the real thing is.”
The Brazilian-born son of the three-time World Champion driver said he’s looking over in the United States for his future after turning down a ride in Formula One.
“I could’ve been there if I wanted to. A team offered me to be there. I just thought I was sick and tired of all of the stuff over there. I just took a decision of starting a new step in my career and a new challenge in coming to NASCAR. For a lot of people who are outside of America, it’s a downgrade. But for people that really understand -- maybe it’s a downgrade in technology of the car -- but in terms of career, of how big the sport is in a lot of ways it’s even a tougher step than F1.”
What was the deciding factor? I think the biggest... point is that I’m having a lot of people behind me helping me, wanting me to be here. A lot of people that I trust and I’m liking.”
He’s close to signing a contract, but, still all the pieces are not in place. “Hopefully I will be able to do races with Red Horse Racing. I still don’t have the whole plan decided,” he said.
After two test sessions Piquet has a long way to go “I think I’ll really feel the excitement in the first race. To me, it’s still testing and everybody is still very friendly and everything. I think when we reach a race weekend that’s going to be when the real excitement is going to come and I’m going to really feel what the real thing is.”