Di Grassi might take Nelsinho’s place at Renault

Di Grassi IN » Nelsinho OUT

The Brazilian Lucas di Grassi can take the place of Nelsinho Piquet at Renault for next Formula 1 season, reported the website ‘Autosport’. Di Grassi got the third placing in GP2 this year, a point behind Bruno Senna, second place and 10 points behind Giorgio Pantano, champion of the category.

The publication reported that although Piquet has obtained a podium with a second place in the GP of Germany, he could not keep up with his teammate, the Spaniard Fernando Alonso.

Again according to the publication, the accident in Singapore would have further complicated the situation of Nelson Piquet. This year Nelsinho got 13 points and it is the 13th. Alonso has already reached 38 points after the victory in Singapore, and is the seventh.

By contrast, the testing pilot Lucas di Grassi was close to what the team is looking for. He impressed the boss of Renault, Flavio Briatore, in tests in Jerez de la Frontera, two weeks ago.

Furthermore, Briatore had offered Nelsinho to STR, which has expressed no interest in him for the next season, unless it has some financial incentive. If the STR doesn’t accept the offer, Piquet may be demoted to be a test pilot in 2009.

A final decision on the drivers of Renault for next season will only happen when Alonso decide his future. BMW and Honda have already declared they made proposals to the Spanish.