Piquet Jr: “Our ambition hasn’t changed”

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Nelson Piquet Jr believes that the NextEV NIO Formula E team has the capability to return to the front of the grid and win races again.

The Brazilian, who won the first ever Formula E championship with the team in its China Racing guise, endured a torrid second season in which he only picked up eight points. A shock pole position in the season three opener has since left Piquet optimistic that the team can start winning races again.

Piquet, who has yet to finish in the top ten this season, took the time to look forward to Buenos Aires and thank his mechanics for the hard work in making the car competitive again.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”The 2016/17 car is showing strong improvements since last season’s car. What has been the team’s focus in the gap since Marrakesh to improve performance even further?” style=”text_only” color=”green” open=”true” css_animation=”appear” el_id=”1457462462183-ad45c2b2-e9be”]

“The break is giving us time to work hard within the team. Just because we’re not on track it doesn’t mean that we’re not working and improving. Our ambition hasn’t changed from winning races and the championship and we know we need to climb up a few steps before being the best car and team out there but we’re working really hard.”

[/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”The Buenos Aires track combines tight twists with longer straights. From the tracks on this year’s calendar, how do you feel it rates in terms of complexity?” style=”text_only” color=”green” open=”true” css_animation=”appear” el_id=”1457462462432-953e496d-e0ae”]

“It is a twisty track, which is something that we enjoy. There are long straights though too, which is probably not our strongest point. But regardless of which track we’re going to, the team is working hard and we’ll have a different situation in every place – we need to be good everywhere.”

[/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”What was your best moment of 2016?” style=”text_only” color=”green” open=”true” css_animation=”appear” el_id=”1457462462612-90635bfd-853c”]

“The best part of 2016 for me was definitely qualifying in Hong Kong. I think that it was a great accomplishment for the whole team and was our first pole position in Formula E. It was also the first time we put the new car on track to show the performance and we were very surprised and happy to be able to lock out the front row.”

[/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”In the first season, you finished on the podium in Buenos Aires but last year was more troubled – what result are you aiming for in Argentina this season with the new car?” style=”text_only” color=”green” open=”true” css_animation=”appear” el_id=”1457462462816-456a668d-8c18″]

“I want to be winning races and on pole position wherever we go.”

[/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”Do you think the team is on course so far for its aims this season?” style=”text_only” color=”green” open=”true” css_animation=”appear” el_id=”1457462463022-821ddfd0-bd90″]

“I have a lot of trust in my guys. The work they did ahead of the season is incredible and if we continue in that way we’re going to keep on improving as we head through this season.”

[/vc_toggle][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Main image courtesy of NEXTEV NIO
Support images courtesy of Rajan Jangda

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]