Nelson Piquet

Nelson Piquet, born on August 17, 1952, is a distinguished Brazilian former racing driver and businessman, renowned for his remarkable career in Formula One from 1978 to 1991. Over his fourteen-season tenure, Piquet clinched three World Drivers' Championship titles in 1981, 1983, and 1987, alongside an impressive tally of twenty-three Grand Prix victories.

Before his foray into motorsport, Piquet briefly pursued a career in tennis but soon lost interest. He then secretly took up karting to avoid his father's disapproval, ultimately becoming the Brazilian national karting champion in 1971-72. His racing prowess continued to flourish as he won the Formula Vee Brazil championship in 1976, and with guidance from Emerson Fittipaldi, he ventured to Europe, where he shattered Jackie Stewart's record for the most wins in Formula Three in 1978.

Piquet made his Formula One debut with the Ensign team in 1978, later racing for McLaren and Brabham. His move to Brabham in 1979 marked a turning point, as he finished as runner-up in 1980 before securing his first championship in 1981. Despite facing challenges in 1982 due to engine unreliability, he rebounded in 1983 to claim his second title. After a stint with Williams, where he was a title contender, Piquet achieved his third championship in 1987 amidst a fierce rivalry with teammate Nigel Mansell.

Following his time with Brabham, Piquet raced for Lotus and later joined Benetton, where he won three races before retiring from Formula One. Post-retirement, he explored the Indianapolis 500 and sports car racing. Currently, Piquet is retired and manages several businesses in Brazil. His career has not been without controversy, particularly regarding his use of homophobic language, which led to a ban from the Formula One paddock in 2022, although this ban was lifted in 2024.