Domenicali: Piquet Doesn't Deserve to Return to F1

Up until now, Ferrari's team principal Stefano Domenicali did not have the reputation of a “call them like I see them” kind of person. On the contrary, he was mostly known for his calm and quite diplomatic statements regarding stuff that happens inside the Great Circle. However, when hearing about Nelsinho Piquet, the situation changes to 180 degrees.

Asked by the reporters of the Italian newspaper Le Stampa how he feels about a potential return of former Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. in Formula One, Domenicali was critic of the prospect to say the least.

“(Piquet) should not be allowed to return, after what he did,” said Domenicali, according to the aforementioned publication.

Needless to say, the story between Piquet Jr. and Ferrari is no news to anyone. The Italian team's driver Felipe Massa was leading the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix when Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed his car after 14-15 laps – as part of the pre-race strategy decided by Renault team – causing the race to go into chaos. From race leader, Massa turned into Top 8 chaser and, in the end, had to walk out of the Marina Bay Circuit without a single point.

After the last race of the 2008 season, Massa lost the title by a single point. Following the burst of the crash-hate this autumn, the Brazilian driver accused his countryman for “robbing” him of his deserved F1 title.

In addition to the Piquet comments, Domenicali also revealed that he doesn't think much about Michael Schumacher's potential comeback to the series, saying that “I prefer to look ahead, for new talent. F1 should not be reduced to a world of nostalgia.”