Nelson Piquet is a Brazilian retired racing driver and businessman. Since his retirement, Piquet, a three-time World Champion, has been ranked among the greatest Formula One (F1) drivers in various motorsport polls.
At the Dutch Grand Prix, where he finished fourth, he earned his first career point. While Regazzoni was involved in another altercation with Piquet, the BT48’s rear portion was entirely ripped off at Monza’s Curva Grande corner.
However, Piquet qualified in the top five on multiple occasions, often outqualifying Lauda, despite crashing several times in a semi-competitive car with an unstable engine.
When Lauda abruptly left Brabham two weeks before the Canadian Grand Prix to protest Alfa Romeo’s entry as a full-works team, Piquet was left as the team’s primary driver and was paired with newcomer Ricardo Zunino to debut the new BT49, which was powered by a Ford-Cosworth DFV engine.
Piquet finished first in the penultimate race, the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, demonstrating the BT49’s impressive ability from the first row.
Nelson Piquet Parents: Meet Estácio Gonçalves Souto Maior and Clotilde Piquet
Retired racing driver Nelson Piquet was born to his parents Estacio Goncalves Souto Maior and Clotilde Piquet. Doctor Estácio Gonçalves Souto Maior, born in 1913, died in 1974.
When his father relocated to Brasilia in 1960, he became Minister of Health in Joo Goulart’s government (1961–64) and served as a member of the cabinet.
