Nelson Piquet: The Life Story Behind Brazil's Three-Time Champion
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Nelson Piquet was not a driver who tried to be liked. He was a tough, outspoken, clever driver who won three world titles, who beat some of the best drivers in the history of the sport, and who said what he thought, even when it made people angry. He was a Brazilian, like Fittipaldi before him and Senna after him, but he was different from both of them. Fittipaldi was smooth and friendly, Senna was passionate and intense, and Piquet was hard, practical, and funny in a sharp way. He was a driver who won by being smart, by being brave, and by being willing to do things that other drivers would not do.
He was born in Rio de Janeiro, and he grew up in Brasília, the new capital of Brazil, where his father was a government minister. He was a boy who loved cars, and who started racing in Brazil, and who went to Europe with very little money, and who became a champion in only a few years. He won titles with Brabham in 1981 and 1983, and with Williams in 1987, and he won 23 races, and he was one of the best drivers of the 1980s, a decade that was full of great drivers, including Prost, Senna, Mansell, and Lauda.
What makes Piquet’s story special is his toughness. He was a driver who could win in a bad car, who could fight for a title when his team was not the best, and who could beat his team-mates, even when they were faster. He was also a driver who was not afraid to speak his mind, and who made enemies, as well as friends, in the sport. This is the story of a man who was a three-time champion, who was a tough competitor, and who is still one of the most controversial figures in Formula One, because he never tried to be polite, and because he always said what he thought.
Rio, Brasília, and a Minister’s Son
Nelson Piquet Souto Maior was born on 17 August 1952 in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. His father, Estácio Souto Maior, was a government minister, and his mother was a housewife. The family moved to Brasília, the new capital, when Nelson was a boy, and he grew up there, in a city that was built from nothing, in the middle of Brazil. He was a boy who loved cars, and who started racing in karts, and who was good at it, winning races in Brazil.
He was not a boy who was given everything. His father was a minister, but the family was not rich in the way that racing families are rich, and Nelson had to work hard to fund his racing. He studied engineering at university, and he worked as a mechanic, and he learned how a car worked, which helped him as a driver, because he could give clear feedback to his engineers. He was a clever boy, who liked to understand how things worked, and who was good at maths and science.
He started racing in Brazil in the early 1970s, in Formula Vee and Formula Super Vee, and he won races, showing that he was fast. He moved to Europe in 1978, with very little money, and he raced in Formula Three in Britain, where he won the championship in his first season. It was a remarkable achievement, because he had come from Brazil, with no experience of European tracks, and he had beaten the best young drivers in Britain. He was a driver who was ready for Formula One, even though he had only been in Europe for a year.
He was signed by Brabham for 1978, for the last race of the season, and he made his debut in Canada, finishing 11th. He drove for Brabham for the next seven seasons, from 1979 to 1985, and it was there that he won his first two titles, and where he became one of the best drivers in the world. He was a driver who had come from Brazil, who had studied engineering, and who was tough, clever, and fast, and he was ready to prove himself in the best series in the world.
He also became known for his sense of humour, which was sharp and sometimes cruel, and for his willingness to say what he thought about other drivers, about teams, and about the sport. He was not a driver who tried to be diplomatic. He was a driver who said what he thought, and who did not care if it upset people. That honesty made him popular with some fans, and unpopular with others, but it was part of who he was, and he never changed.
Brabham, Bernie Ecclestone, and Two Titles
Piquet joined Brabham in 1978, a team run by Bernie Ecclestone, who would later run Formula One itself, and designed by Gordon Murray, one of the great designers in the sport. Brabham was a team that was innovative, and that was willing to try new ideas, and Piquet worked well with Murray, because he was a driver who could give clear feedback, and who understood how a car worked. He was an engineer as well as a driver, and that helped him to develop the car.
He won his first race in 1980, in the United States, at Long Beach, and he finished second in the championship that year, losing to Alan Jones, an Australian driver who was driving for Williams. He was a driver who was getting better every year, and who was learning to win, and who was ready for a title. In 1981, he won his first title, winning three races, and beating Carlos Reutemann, an Argentine driver, by a single point, in the final race of the season. It was a close fight, and it was a title that Piquet won by being consistent, and by scoring points in almost every race.
In 1982, he had a difficult season, with a car that was not competitive, and he finished 11th in the championship, winning only one race. He also had a serious crash, and he was injured, but he recovered, and he came back in 1983, winning his second title, with Brabham, in a car that was powered by a BMW turbo engine, which was the most powerful engine in Formula One at that time. He won three races that year, and he beat Alain Prost, who was driving for Renault, by only two points, in the final race of the season. It was another close title, and it showed that Piquet was a driver who could win when the pressure was highest.
He stayed with Brabham for two more seasons, in 1984 and 1985, but the team was no longer competitive, and he did not win a title. He won races, including a win in Canada in 1984, and a win in France in 1985, but he was frustrated, because he knew that he was still a good driver, but that his car was not good enough. He left Brabham at the end of 1985, and he joined Williams, a team that was on the rise, with a Honda engine, and with a car that could win a title. It was a move that would give him his third title, but it would also bring him into conflict with his team-mate, Nigel Mansell.
He was also a driver who was known for his physical fitness, and for his preparation. He trained hard, he ate well, and he was one of the fittest drivers on the grid. He was a driver who believed that a fit driver is a fast driver, and he worked at his fitness, even when other drivers did not. That professionalism helped him to win titles, because he was able to drive at his best for a whole race, even when the conditions were hot and difficult.
Williams, Mansell, and the Third Title
Piquet joined Williams in 1986, where his team-mate was Nigel Mansell, a British driver who was also fighting for the title. The two men did not get along, and their rivalry became one of the most bitter in Formula One. Piquet was the senior driver, a two-time champion, and he expected to be treated as the number one driver, but Mansell was faster in many races, and he was popular with the British fans, and he did not accept being number two. The team did not favour one driver over the other, and the two men fought each other, on and off the track, for two seasons.
In 1986, Piquet finished third in the championship, behind Mansell and Prost, who won the title. Mansell lost the title in the final race, when a tyre blew out, and Prost won, but Piquet was also in the fight, and he was frustrated, because he felt that the team had not supported him enough. In 1987, he won his third title, winning three races, and beating Mansell by 12 points, even though Mansell won six races that year. Piquet won the title by being consistent, and by scoring points in every race, while Mansell was faster but less consistent, and crashed in practice in Japan, breaking his back and missing the final races.
It was a title that Piquet won by thinking, not only by driving, because he knew that he did not need to win every race. He needed to score points, and to finish ahead of Mansell in the championship, and he did. He was a clever driver, and he was a driver who understood the championship, and who knew how to win it. He was not the fastest driver in 1987, but he was the smartest, and that is why he won.
He left Williams at the end of 1987, after a dispute with the team, and he joined Lotus in 1988, a team that was once great but was now struggling. He spent two seasons with Lotus, in 1988 and 1989, scoring points but not winning a race, and he was frustrated, because he knew that he was still a good driver, but that his car was not good enough. He moved to Benetton in 1990, a team that was on the rise, and he won two races in 1990, and one race in 1991, before retiring from Formula One at the end of 1991, at the age of 39.
He retired with 23 wins, three titles, and a reputation as one of the best drivers of the 1980s. He was a driver who had won titles with two different teams, Brabham and Williams, and who had beaten some of the best drivers in the history of the sport, including Prost, Mansell, and Senna, who was his fellow Brazilian, and his rival, although they were never team-mates.
Senna, Rivalry, and the Brazilian Battle
Piquet’s relationship with Ayrton Senna was complicated, because they were both Brazilian, both world champions, and both fighting for the same prize, but they were very different men. Senna was passionate, intense, and religious, and he believed that he was chosen by God to race. Piquet was practical, funny, and sceptical, and he did not believe in destiny. He believed in hard work, in preparation, and in being clever. The two men did not get along, and they said harsh things about each other in public, which made their rivalry more bitter.
Piquet was the senior Brazilian driver when Senna arrived in Formula One in 1984, and he was a two-time champion, but Senna was younger, faster, and more popular, and he soon became the most famous Brazilian driver in the world. Piquet did not like that, and he criticised Senna, saying that he was too aggressive, and that he took too many risks. Senna did not like Piquet’s criticism, and he said that Piquet was jealous. The two men never became friends, and their rivalry lasted for many years, even after they had both retired.
It was a rivalry that divided Brazilian fans, because some supported Piquet, who was the first Brazilian to win three titles, and some supported Senna, who was the most talented Brazilian driver, and who died young, becoming a legend. Piquet was often seen as the villain in that rivalry, because he was outspoken, and because he made jokes about Senna, but he was also a great driver, and he deserves to be remembered as one, not only as Senna’s rival.
He also had a rivalry with Mansell, which was even more bitter, because they were team-mates at Williams, and because they were fighting for the same title in the same car. Piquet called Mansell stupid, and Mansell called Piquet arrogant, and the two men did not speak to each other for much of their time together. It was a rivalry that was based on personality, as well as on racing, and it made Williams a difficult team to work for, because the two drivers were always fighting.
Despite those rivalries, Piquet was respected by his fellow drivers for his speed, his intelligence, and his toughness. Rivals knew he could drag points from a car that had no right to be near the front, and that he would not be beaten easily by a quicker team-mate. He was a complete driver, and he was a champion, and that is why he is still remembered today, even though he is often overshadowed by Senna, who was more popular, and who died young.
Lotus, Benetton, and the End of a Career
After Williams, Piquet spent two seasons with Lotus, in 1988 and 1989, a team that was struggling, and where he did not win a race. He was a three-time champion, but he was driving a slow car, and he was frustrated, because he knew that he was still good enough to win, if he had a better car. He scored points, and he finished on the podium several times, but he did not win, and he was beginning to think about retirement.
He moved to Benetton in 1990, a team that was improving, with a Ford engine, and with a young team-mate, Roberto Moreno, a fellow Brazilian. He won two races in 1990, in Japan and Australia, the last two races of the season, showing that he was still fast, and still able to win, even at the age of 38. He won another race in 1991, in Canada, and he finished sixth in the championship, before retiring at the end of the season, at the age of 39.
He retired with 23 wins, 24 pole positions, and three titles, and he was one of the most successful drivers in the history of Formula One. He was a driver who had won titles in three different decades, the 1980s, and who had raced against Lauda, Prost, Senna, Mansell, and many other great drivers. He was a driver who had seen the sport change, from the dangerous 1970s to the more professional 1980s, and who had adapted to those changes, and who had kept winning.
After his retirement, he stayed involved in motorsport, as a team owner in Brazil, and as a mentor to young drivers, including his son, Nelson Piquet Jr., who also raced in Formula One, for Renault, in 2008 and 2009. Piquet Jr. was involved in a famous scandal, known as Crashgate, in which he deliberately crashed his car in Singapore in 2008, to help his team-mate, Fernando Alonso, win the race. Piquet Sr. was not involved in that scandal, but it affected his family’s reputation, and it was a sad end to a racing career for his son.
Piquet himself also became involved in business, and he became a successful businessman in Brazil, with interests in cars, in property, and in other areas. He was a man who understood money, and who was careful with it, and who built a comfortable life for himself and his family. He did not become a celebrity who lived only on his fame. He worked, he invested, and he built a second career, just as other drivers had done.
A Sharp Tongue and a Controversial Legacy
Piquet is known for his sharp tongue, and for saying things that other drivers would not say. He made jokes about other drivers, about their wives, about their appearance, and about their driving, and those jokes often got him into trouble. He was fined, he was criticised, and he was called rude, but he did not stop. He believed in free speech, and he believed that a driver should be able to say what he thinks, even if it upsets people. That attitude made him popular with some fans, who liked his honesty, and unpopular with others, who thought he was cruel.
In recent years, he has been criticised for comments he made about Lewis Hamilton, which were widely condemned as racist, and which led to him being banned from the Formula One paddock. He apologised, but the damage was done, and his reputation was harmed. It is a sad end to a great career, because a driver who was a three-time champion is now remembered by many people for his words, not for his driving. That is a lesson about the power of words, and about how a single comment can damage a reputation that took years to build.
He is also remembered for his son’s involvement in Crashgate, which was a scandal that shook Formula One, and which led to the Renault team being punished, and to his son being banned from the sport. Piquet Sr. was not involved, but as a father, he was affected, and he defended his son, saying that he had been pressured by the team. It was a difficult time for the family, and it showed that even a great driver cannot protect his children from the pressures of the sport.
Despite those controversies, Piquet is still a three-time world champion, and he is still one of the best drivers of the 1980s. His driving deserves to be remembered, even if his words are also remembered, and his titles deserve to be respected, even if his later comments are criticised. He was a great driver, and a flawed man, and that combination is what makes his story interesting, and human.
Why Piquet Deserves to Be Remembered as a Champion
Nelson Piquet deserves to be remembered as a champion, because he won three titles, he won 23 races, and he beat some of the best drivers in history. He took points from machinery that other men could not make work, and he stayed in title fights long after his car had stopped being the quickest. He was a complete driver, and he was a tough competitor, and that is why he is still in the conversation about the greatest drivers of all time.
He is also remembered as a pioneer, along with Fittipaldi, who opened the door for Brazilian drivers, and who showed that Brazilians could win in Formula One. He was the second Brazilian champion, after Fittipaldi, and he was the first Brazilian to win three titles, a feat that Senna later matched. He was a part of a golden age of Brazilian racing, when Brazil produced three world champions, and when the country was proud of its drivers.
He is remembered today, more than thirty years after his retirement, because he was a champion, and because he was a character, and because he never tried to be someone he was not. He was tough, outspoken, and funny, and he was a driver who won by being smart, brave, and determined. That is a legacy that will last, even if his later words have damaged his reputation, because his driving, his titles, and his toughness cannot be taken away.
My Take:
I think Nelson Piquet is the most difficult driver to write about, because he was a great champion, and he was also a man who said things that hurt people, and I have to be honest about both sides. He won three titles, he won 23 races, and he beat Prost, Mansell, and Senna, who were among the best drivers in history. That is a great achievement, and it deserves respect. But he also said cruel things about other drivers, and in recent years, he said things about Lewis Hamilton that were widely condemned, and that led to him being banned from the paddock. That is also part of his story, and I cannot ignore it, because it is part of who he was, and part of why his legacy is complicated.
What I admire most is his toughness. He was a driver who could win in a bad car, who could fight for a title when his team was not the best, and who could beat his team-mates, even when they were faster. He won his third title in 1987, not because he was the fastest, but because he was the smartest, and the most consistent, and because he knew how to score points in every race. That is a lesson in intelligence, and in patience, and it is a lesson that I can use in my own life, because it tells me that being the fastest is not enough. You have to be the smartest, and the most consistent, and you have to make fewer mistakes than your rivals. Piquet did that, and he won three titles because of it.
I also admire his background as an engineer. He studied engineering at university, and he worked as a mechanic, and he understood how a car worked. That knowledge helped him as a driver, because he could give clear feedback to his engineers, and he could help to develop a car. He was not only a driver. He was a thinker, and a problem-solver, and that combination made him a complete driver. I respect that, because it shows that education matters, even in a sport like racing, and that a driver who understands his car will be faster than a driver who only drives it.
His rivalry with Mansell is another part of his story that I find interesting, because it was so bitter, and because it was based on personality as much as on racing. Piquet called Mansell stupid, Mansell called Piquet arrogant, and the two men did not speak to each other for much of their time together at Williams. That is sad, because they were team-mates, and they should have worked together, but they could not, because they were too different, and too proud. I think that is a lesson about teamwork, because a team that is divided will not succeed as well as a team that is united, and Williams in 1986 and 1987 was a divided team, even though it had the best car.
I also think about his rivalry with Senna, and how it divided Brazilian fans. Piquet was the senior driver, a two-time champion, when Senna arrived, but Senna was younger, faster, and more popular, and he soon became the most famous Brazilian driver. Piquet did not like that, and he criticised Senna, and Senna criticised him back, and their rivalry lasted for years. That is sad, because they were both Brazilian, and they should have been proud of each other, but instead, they fought. I think that is a human story, about jealousy, and about pride, and about how hard it is to share the spotlight with someone else, even if they are from your own country.
If I have to be honest about what I find least admirable, I would say that Piquet’s words, especially in recent years, have damaged his legacy, and that is a shame, because he was a great driver, and he should be remembered for his driving, not for his comments. He said things that were cruel, and in the case of his comments about Hamilton, things that were widely seen as racist, and he apologised, but the damage was done. That is a lesson about the power of words, and about how a single comment can undo years of good work. I think Piquet learned that lesson the hard way, and I hope that other people learn from his mistake, because words matter, and they can hurt, even when they are said as a joke.
I also think about his son, Nelson Jr., and the Crashgate scandal, and how that affected Piquet’s family. His son deliberately crashed his car to help his team-mate win, and he was banned from the sport, and his father defended him, saying that he had been pressured by the team. It was a difficult time, and it showed that even a great driver cannot protect his children from the pressures of the sport. I feel sad for the family, because they went through a public scandal, and because their reputation was damaged, even though Piquet Sr. was not involved.
What I learn from Piquet is that being smart matters as much as being fast. He won three titles by being clever, by being consistent, and by making fewer mistakes than his rivals. That is a lesson I can use, because it tells me that I do not have to be the fastest to win. I have to be the smartest, and the most patient, and I have to keep scoring points, even when I cannot win. Piquet did that, and he became a three-time champion, and that is a great achievement.
I also learn from him that words have consequences, and that a sharp tongue can be a weakness, as well as a strength. Piquet was funny, and he was honest, but he was also cruel, and his cruelty cost him friends, and it cost him his reputation in later years. That is a lesson for anyone who likes to make jokes at other people’s expense, because a joke can be funny, but it can also be hurtful, and the hurt can last longer than the laugh. I try to remember that when I speak, because I do not want my words to damage my reputation, or to hurt other people.
In the end, I think Nelson Piquet’s story is about a great driver who was also a flawed man, who won three titles, and who said things that he should not have said, and who is now remembered for both his driving and his words. He was a champion, and he was a tough competitor, and he was a pioneer for Brazilian racing, and those things deserve to be remembered. But he was also a man who let his tongue get him into trouble, and who paid the price for it, and that is also part of his story. I will remember him as a champion, but I will also remember that being a champion is not only about winning races. It is also about how you treat other people, and Piquet did not always treat other people well, and that is a sad part of a great career.
I also think about his engineering degree, and how it helped him as a driver, because he understood how a car worked, and he could talk to his engineers in their own language. That is a rare skill, because most drivers cannot explain what is wrong with a car in technical terms, they can only say that it feels slow, or that it understeers, but Piquet could say why, and he could suggest a fix. That knowledge gave him an advantage, and it helped him to win titles, because his cars were better developed, and because his team listened to him. I respect that, because it shows that education matters, even in a sport like racing, and that a driver who studies will be faster than a driver who does not.
Another part of his story that stays with me is his win in 1981, when he beat Reutemann by a single point, in the final race, after a season in which he had been consistent, and in which he had scored points in almost every race. That title was won by a single point, and it shows how close Formula One can be, and how a single point, in a single race, can decide a championship. Piquet understood that, and he drove for points, not only for wins, and that is why he won, by one point, in a season that could easily have gone the other way.
I think about his time at Benetton, too, at the end of his career, when he won races in Japan and Australia in 1990, at the age of 38, showing that he was still fast, and still able to win, even when he was older than most drivers. Those wins were a fitting end to his career, because they showed that he had not lost his speed, and that he could still compete with younger drivers, even after winning three titles, and after racing for more than a decade. He retired after those wins, on a high, and that is a good way to end a career, because it means leaving as a winner, not as a driver who stayed too long.
His business career after racing is another thing I think about, because he became a successful businessman in Brazil, with interests in cars and property, and he built a comfortable life for himself and his family. He did not become a celebrity who lived only on his fame. He worked, he invested, and he built a second career, just as other drivers had done, and he was successful at it, because he was intelligent, and because he understood money, and because he was careful with it. That is a lesson for any athlete, because a career in sport is short, and a second career is necessary, and Piquet built one, and he did it well.
I also think about the way his reputation has been damaged by his comments in recent years, and how that is a warning to anyone who is famous, because a single comment, made in a moment of anger, or as a joke, can undo years of good work. Piquet was a three-time champion, and he is now remembered by many people for his words, not for his driving, and that is sad, because his driving deserved to be remembered, and his words should not have erased it. I hope that people will remember both sides, and that they will learn from his mistake, because words matter, and they can hurt, even when they are said without thinking.
I wonder what Piquet would say to a young driver today, who is starting out, and who is tempted to say harsh things about other drivers, to get attention. I think he would say, if he were honest, not to do it, because it will cost you friends, and it will cost you your reputation, and it is not worth it, even if it gets you attention in the short term. That is a lesson that Piquet learned the hard way, and it is one that young drivers should learn from his example, because they do not want to end up like him, remembered for their words, instead of their driving.
I also think about his three titles, won in 1981, 1983, and 1987, each by a small margin, in the final race, or close to it, and how that shows that he was a driver who could win when the pressure was highest. He won by one point in 1981, by two points in 1983, and by 12 points in 1987, after a season in which his team-mate won more races, but Piquet was more consistent. Those titles were not won easily, and they were not won by dominating a season, but by being clever, by scoring points, and by making fewer mistakes than his rivals. That is a lesson in championship racing, because a title is won over a whole season, not in one race, and Piquet understood that better than most.
Another thing I notice is that Piquet won titles with two different teams, Brabham and Williams, which is a rare achievement, because it shows that he could adapt to different cars, different teams, and different people, and win with all of them. He was not a driver who only won because he had the best car. He won because he was the best driver in that car, and because he could make a car go faster than it should, by giving clear feedback, and by working with his engineers. That adaptability is a strength, and it is why he is still respected, even though his later words have damaged his reputation.
Finally, I think Piquet’s story is a reminder that a great driver can also be a flawed man, and that winning races does not make you a perfect person. He was a three-time champion, and he was a tough competitor, and he was also a man who said things that hurt people, and who paid the price for it. That is a human story, and it is one that I will remember, because it shows that success in sport does not guarantee success in life, and that how you treat other people matters, as much as how fast you drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Formula One titles did Nelson Piquet win?
Nelson Piquet won three Formula One world titles, in 1981 and 1983 with Brabham and in 1987 with Williams. He won 23 Grand Prix races in total, and he was one of the best drivers of the 1980s.
Which teams did Nelson Piquet drive for?
Piquet drove for Brabham, Williams, Lotus and Benetton during his Formula One career, which lasted from 1978 to 1991. He won titles with Brabham and Williams, and he won races for Benetton at the end of his career.
What was Nelson Piquet’s rivalry with Nigel Mansell?
Piquet and Mansell were team-mates at Williams in 1986 and 1987, fighting for the same title in the same car. They did not get along, called each other names in public, and Piquet won the 1987 title by being more consistent, even though Mansell won more races that year.
Was Nelson Piquet involved in Crashgate?
No, Nelson Piquet was not involved in Crashgate, which was a scandal in 2008 when his son, Nelson Piquet Jr., deliberately crashed his Renault in Singapore to help his team-mate Fernando Alonso win. Piquet Jr. was banned from the sport, and his father defended him, saying he had been pressured by the team.
How many races did Nelson Piquet win?
Piquet won 23 Grand Prix races in Formula One, including his first win at Long Beach in 1980 and his last win in Canada in 1991. He also took 24 pole positions during his career.
When did Nelson Piquet retire from Formula One?
Piquet retired from Formula One at the end of 1991, at the age of 39, after driving for Benetton. He later worked as a team owner in Brazil and as a businessman, and he remains a controversial figure because of comments he made in later years.
