Piquet to bide time over comeback

Nelson Piquet Jnr feels he will have to wait for the heat to die down from ’crashgate’ before attempting a Formula One comeback.

After attending Monday’s World Motor Sport Council hearing into the conspiracy that resulted in Piquet crashing his Renault in last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, he revealed he was hungry to return to F1.

Piquet is determined to prove he can compete at the highest level of motorsport, believing his talent was stifled by former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore.

However, the 24-year-old Brazilian appreciates no team may want to be associated with him, at least not immediately, and he may have to spend time competing in an overseas series.

“I am aware that because of this (scandal) it will be difficult,” Piquet told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“Some people will be afraid that the same thing will happen. But it was a unique case and I have learned from it.

“If I can’t find a place in F1, perhaps for one year I will go to America and try to do a good job there until the waves have calmed down a bit.

“I was there in August for a week and spoke with some teams.”