carrol vs piquet - whose title is it?

[F3lollipops]

Originally posted by foxy mole
By the way, how's your Brazilian? Remember the kid's just 18 and speaking in a foreign language.

Nelson turned 19 at the end of July FM

He and Adam are pretty good friends off the track, I was chatting to both of them (at the same time) in the Spa pit lane and they were having a joke about who was going to win the championship... neither one of them is underestimating the other and they both want to win the title.

Sadly, only one of them can...

[Gaz]

As I said in another thread foxy mole, Michael Schumacher goes into every F1 race knowing he should win but I've yet to here him say its going to be "easy"!

Yes your absolutely correct in saying that Piquet is very much in the driving seat, I fully agree. Anything other than a Piquet title at Brands will be a real shock but if he wants to arrogantly state things are going to be "easy" he could be in for a shock! I know his whole life so far has been easy due to daddy but this may not just be quite so simple. He was "easily" 52 points clear of AC pre-Spa and now its just 26.

That Brands Indy circuit can bite and if your not on your game well......

[Muzza]

I hope the battle for the championship goes to down to the wire, and possibly it will. Nélson Ângelo has kept a critical gap between him and Carroll, but Adam has shown time and again strength and will under pressure and adverse situations. I think Nelsinho will win, but I am cheering for Carroll.

On a somewhat unrelated comment, I wonder how many of those that call Nelsinho arrogant have had the chance of meeting and talking to him. I asked the same question a while ago in another forum and the thread was filled with comments calling him a pleasant guy, "he came to talk to me and my grandson" and alike. I have met Nelsinho a few times and I don't think he is arrogant at all; granted, the fact that we spoke in Portuguese helped, but I witnessed the way he treated other fans he was very corteous.

Sometimes people project to kids what they think about their parents ("I did not like Piquet because of what he said about Nige's wife"). Also, we all feel a bit jealous of these children of former champions that have everything in their plates while many talented drivers struggle to raise budgets and have a break in their careers; however, this does not allow any of us to call Nico Rosberg "a p***k", Marco Andretti "a loser" (as I have seen time and again) or Nelsinho arrogant without a first hand experience with them.

Now, if you have met him personally and believe he's arrogant or whatever, then I will not dispute that. But let's not - all of us - allow prejudices to shape our opinion about a driver.

[flexible-flyer]

speaking for myself im only going by quotes ive read coming into these last few races. i dont doubt he is a nice person most of the time but if telling the press that he is basically a cert to take the title at spa and dismissing carroll as a contender isnt arrogant i dont know what is. i think he put more pressure on himself with this.

[strider]

I know them both and agree with what F3L and Muzza (very good post) have said so let's leave it there. It's off topic anyway and has now become boring.

[mcurtis26]

I think Nelsinho can be forgiven if he comes across as arrogant at times, he's had a multi millionaire lifetsyale, his dad is a multiple F1 world champion, and he himself is on the verge of his second F3. The press have been known to take things out of context as well. Personally i've found him ok when i've met him, not as personable as Carrol, but more polite than many drivers. I'm waving the chequered for the 1st race at Brands, and its Adam i'd rather wave it for.

[darcym]

well alls I can say is at Castle Combe this year Carrol was watching all the other races, being sociable etc etc, PK wouldn't allow any media people near his truck, fenced off the PK truck to the public in the paddock (who paid to get into the paddock).

I don't care if he's had a multi million pound lifestyle....he should appriciate it more.

Carroll has had budget this year, but he has had to work a lot harder for it.

Neslon is a good driver, and its been a great battle at the front with them both, however as mentioned above Nelson is going to F1 any way.....the name and cash speaks for itself, Carroll, deserves and needs the F3 title on his CV more, and on a "works for it" situation I think he deserves it more.

the end of the year though both will have raced well and deserved it.

[Kicking-back]

It's probably better for the championship's future if Piquet wins it.

Promoting a series where the champion is a future F1 driver is an easier job than promoting a series where the champion's apparently on a fast road to nowhere.

[strider]

Exactly right K-b, but if Piquet does win it, I hope very much that Adam will not be going nowhere. I just watchd the highlights from Spa and Ben Edwards likened this year to 1983, when Ayrton Senna won from Martin Brundle. How great it would be if both Piquet and Carroll were to go on to have successful F1 careers; they deserve it.

[Kicking-back]

Agreed.

It just doesn't look likely unless Carroll is better backed than we think, or he manages to get picked up by a benefactor or a manufacturer programme.

[F3lollipops]

Originally posted by darcym
well alls I can say is at Castle Combe this year Carrol was watching all the other races, being sociable etc etc, PK wouldn't allow any media people near his truck, fenced off the PK truck to the public in the paddock (who paid to get into the paddock).

They did????? Not that I noticed... and while I was in the awning talking to one of the team, (incidentally they are called Piquet Sports and are not to be mixed up with PK Racing) Nelson spent ages outside in the sun (yes, there really was sun) signing stuff and posing for pics with whoever wanted him to.

Foxy Mole had a point about this thread going off topic and I think it is turning into an anti-Piquet thread so maybe it's time for Bella to think about closing it?

[Kicking-back]

There are just as many comments supporting Piquet as there are knocking him.


Come on Nelsinho!

[santori]

This seems to be a replay of the Piquet-Warwick and Senna-Brundle rivalries. 'The plucky Brit versus the over-sponsored Brazilian'.
Except that wasn't really how it worked out the previous times, was it?

I mean, for all that some said and say that Piquet and Senna had an unfair advantage, their subsequent careers seem to suggest that the right driver came out on top.

Not that I don't want Carroll to win. I just get tired of lack of finance being used as an excuse for any of his problems.

[Jonny Apex]

Have to say, at first I thought Piquet an arrogant little so and so, but I've completely changed my opinion. Very polite, respectful and intelligent. Top bloke all round. Likewise Carroll.

Gaz, for your info (following an earlier post) Piquet's father will not be at Brands.

Who will win? All down to qualifying around Brands Indy. And, of course, making a good start. Piquet seems good at the former, but Carroll truly excels at the latter.

Awkward, tight little track infamous for upsets and shattering dreams. At least half a dozen other drivers out to end the season on a high and who could either thwart or help Carroll.

[Mathias]

Jonny A speaks my mind in his first para.

Both are very talented racers and I wish them both all the success in the world. Been a fan of Carroll's since his schoolboy days in 2002, and have v much warmed to Half-Nelson.

In the end I've voted for Piquet cos it's a safer bet and I'm fed up with backing the wrong horse!

But in a way I hope I'm wrong this time too, cos Carroll doing well would be good for British motorsport...,

On the other hand, to what extent does who *wins* an F3 championship really matter...? In F3 it really seems that the old maxim stands: it not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

[Gaz]

Your quite right Mathias, you only have to look at the past 2 years champions. Both are currently sat on the sidelines with nothing to do apart from twiddle their thumbs despite both being very talented (although I'm very questionable about just how good VDM is). I'm just hoping if, and its a big if Carroll can do it someone, somewhere will finally pick up on how good this this kid is and help him progress up the ladder.

Daddy Piquet not being at Brands may take some of the pressure off his son. Could you find out if his sis is gunna be there Jonny!? I'm more interested in that!

[strider]

So far as I know sis will be there, Gaz!

[Gaz]

Good stuff! Oh yeah now back to the topic.....!

[Jonny Apex]

Which sister - the 12 year old? He has at least two.

[O'Schumacher]

Nelson has been too consistent all season to lose it now. He'll probably take the title in race 1. 2nd place would clinch it for him no matter what Adam does.

Both should move up to GP2 in 05 though. Both definitley good enough.

[Jonny Apex]

Originally posted by O'Schumacher
Nelson has been too consistent all season to lose it now. He'll probably take the title in race 1. 2nd place would clinch it for him no matter what Adam does.

Not true. If Carroll wins the first race and Piquet is second the gap between them will be down to 21 (or 20 if Carroll also sets fastest lap). The maximum available from the final round will be 21 (20 plus one for fastest lap). If Carroll won that and Piquet did not finish, then they would tie, but Carroll would be crowned champion on a higher number of race wins.

[Mathias]

Or, alternatively, if Carroll wins race 1 and Piquet gets a DNF (or other NPSF), there's only 6 points in it... consistency-wise, they've both won 5 races...,

[Mathias]

Oooh, sorry - didn't read the question properly there. But Jonny's dead right.

[Mathias]

The point is that the pressure is really on Nelson. He should feel fairly confident with the margin he's got and the fact that he had an almost perfect weekend at Brands last year (two poles, two wins, but oh blast, just the one fastest lap!). But if he puts one foot wrong...,

Have to say, I wouldn't want to be the one who punts him out of race 1!

[mcurtis26]

Nelson is going to be in GP2 next year regardless of whether he wins the title or not, so for long term career prospects, i'd much rather Carrol won it. Nelson is more than likley going to be in F1 in a year or two, Adam also deserves to be but hasn't got the budget, an F3 title would certainly help in the sponsorship search.