12/12/2007
NEWS STORY
Welcoming the move to promote Nelson Piquet Jr to a full race seat in 2008, team boss Flavio Briatore had this to say: "Nelsinho is one of the most promising young talents in motorsport. After his success in GP2, he has spent a year learning the ropes as our test driver and getting to know the team; he is now ready to step up to the next level.
Not too dissimilar to comments the Italian made in September 2006, when welcoming Heikki Kovalainen's promotion to the race team.
Heikki knows the car, knows the team - and after a year as our official third driver, he knows the business of Formula 1, not just on the technical side but in terms of PR, marketing and everything else. There will be no bad surprises for him next year, and now his time has come to show what he can do as a race driver. He will be judged on his performances, but we are totally confident that he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Heikki is a very bright talent for the future of Formula 1. In our eyes, we are not losing a driver who has won the world title; rather, we are starting a new story with a future champion.
P.S. Has anyone else noticed how much Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page resembles Flav these days... and how about Anne Darwin - wife of 'missing’ canoeist John Darwin - anyone spotted the uncanny resemblance to Mr E?