Pressure seems to be just about everything Piquet has to deal with right now, as his contract with Flavio Briatore's outfit has now turned into a race-to-race challenge to prove the Italian that he is still Formula One worthy. Now that he'll drive a car featuring the same updates as teammate Fernando Alonso, Piquet will have no excuse if he comes point-less from Hungary.
Media reports in Brazil had suggested, prior to the German GP at the Nurburgring, that Piquet was due to score at least half of points as compared to Alonso until the mid-season. While the Spaniard brought his team some 13 points this season, Piquet is yet to make the 2009 scoreboard. However, it seems Renault have decided to wait until at least the Hungarian GP, as the Brazilian sophomore was handed an under-developed R29 in Germany.
“The Brazilian must show in Hungary why Renault should keep him,” showed a recent report from Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. The German publication also revealed that Piquet might be replaced by Renault during to the 3-week vacation before the European Grand Prix, at Valencia.
In a press preview for the Hungarian race this weekend, Piquet already set his goals for the upcoming qualifying session and race. The Brazilian targets a Top 10 grid position next Saturday and a point finish (finally) for the Sunday race. Alonso's performance during the Nurburgring race, when he set the fastest time of the race, is a living proof that Renault have managed to take a huge step in developing their 2009 challenger over the past few weeks and expects both drivers to make the most of it, starting Hungary.
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