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The 1982 season was a development season for Brabham and new turbo-engine supplier BMW, but when the car came right Nelson was the man to bring it home claiming his second World Championship in 1983. Piquet has often been criticized for only winning when his car was the best on the grid. But the fact remains that much of it was due to countless miles of testing and the bottom line is that he won when he was expected to. He was not overly concerned with gaining poles but rather chose to concentrate on the race itself. When he won his second World Championship in 1983, Piquet became the first champion using a turbo engine. Nelson continued to drive for Brabham but after two seasons he left to join Frank Williams at the team of the same name. Williams other driver, Nigel Mansell greeted his new teammate with some suspicion feeling that he deserved to be number one on the team; something that Williams was unwilling to do. The battles between the two protagonists have gone down in racing lore yet 1987 saw him win the title for the third time.
Williams lost twice before the next season even started, their Honda power and their Brazilian World Champion. Piquet signed with Lotus for the 88 and 89 seasons but for once Piquet made a wrong decision, as Lotus was a shell of its former self. His last stop was at Benneton but by then the fire had gone out of the proud Brazilian. Attempts at other forms of racing met with mixed results and an accident at Indianapolis left him with severely injured feet. |
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In 1976 Piquet was crowned Brazilian Formula Super Vee
Champion. For 1978, he graduated to British F3, where he became BP
champion and was offered a test session with Mclaren. McLaren
declined to hire the young Brazilian but Bernie Ecclestone, owner of the
Brabham team, did not hesitate. Partner to two-time World Champion 
