London, England (My Sportsbook) - Nelson Piquet said Monday that he has been released from his contract with Renault and blamed team principal Flavio Briatore for his demise in the racing organization.
Piquet began his Formula One career with Renault in 2008, but has endured a frustrating season this year with no points scored in the world championship standings so far.
"I have received notice from the Renault F1 team of its intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season," Piquet said. "It is obviously with great disappointment that I receive such news. But, at the same time, I feel a sense of relief for the end of the worst period of my career, and the possibility that I can now move on and put my career back on the right track and try to recover my reputation of a fast, winning driver."
In a lengthy and strong-worded statement, Piquet claimed he was not given sufficient testing time compared to teammate Fernando Alonso, and that he did not regularly obtain car updates before Alonso. Piquet also noted that he was threatened on numerous occasions with replacement if he did not achieve good results.
"I am a team player and there are dozens of people I have worked with in my career who would vouch for my character and talent, except unfortunately the person that has had the most influence on my career in Formula 1," Piquet said in regards to Briatore.
Piquet's best performance in 28 F1 grand prix is second, which came in last year's German Grand Prix. The Brazilian has faced constant media speculation about his future with Renault this season.
Last week, F1 race stewards banned both Renault teams from the next race -- the August 23 European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain -- after the French team allowed Alonso to leave the pits with a wheel not properly secured during the Hungarian Grand Prix.
F1's governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), found Renault to be negligent in failing to secure the wheel, as well as letting Alonso to leave the pits when they were aware of the problem and then failing to communicate to their driver the issue.
