KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — With a hectic schedule that will see him board more than 100 flights this year, Nelson Piquet Jr is no stranger to keeping himself entertained by watching films and television shows.
“I love ‘Big Bang Theory’ for its characters. It’s truly humorous. I used to like ‘Two and a Half Men’ but not anymore,” he said, adding that another favourite for him was the hit drama series “Homeland”.
“I spend a lot of time in planes and long waits at airports. So, watching movies and TV shows helps me kill time.”
Piquet Jr is in town to compete in the inaugural Putrajaya Formula E race on Saturday.
He is racing with the China Racing team alongside teammate Ho-Pin Tung.
The 29-year-old bachelor, who is taking part in three different championships this year, also rattled off the rest of his schedule for the year. They include a quick trip back to visit his father, three-time Formula One champion Nelson, now 62, in Brazil; another Formula E race in Punta del Este in Uruguay, and spending Thanksgiving with family and friends in the United States, where he is based.
“I am always on the go. Jetlag is not a problem for me because I am not a very ‘good sleeper’. I don’t do the eight-hour deep sleep thing. If I sleep six to seven hours, that’s considered an amazing sleep,” he said.
Having raced for 21 years, Piquet Jr also has the racing DNA in him and has a diverse resume including Formula One, British Formula 3, GP2 and the Global RallyCross Championship.
His father is definitely someone Piquet Jr looks up to because of the victories that he has chalked up despite living a life where the odds were heavily stacked against him.
“My father is really inspiring,” he said, adding there were only two, including him, among his six siblings who took up racing.
Asked about his priorities in life, he said simply that racing ranked from one to four while family and friends ranked fifth and sixth.
“There is nothing else I want to do for the rest of my life. I love it to bits,” he said.
Asked about how some people characterise him as a “calm driver”, he said it was all in the mind.
“It’s all psychological. And along the way, even when you are not racing, you keep calm. But if there’s family ‘drama’, I run away,” he quipped.
He said drivers who start young matured faster as they had a whole list of things to deal with, including dealing with one’s manager, team and sponsors.
“It teaches you life’s lessons,” he said. On Formula E, he envisioned that the new racing championship would be the latest threshold in motorsports, citing it as the ideal combination capable of attracting the masses.
“The Formula One aligns in the same direction as the Formula E with its V8 engine designed to save battery life,” he said.
“However, the Formula E is one step ahead because it’s completely electric and we are witnessing the cycle of an entirely new technology.”
The charismatic Brazilian also commended the nature of the series, which he predicts could thrive in popularity.
“The Formula E has all the makings to be a crowd puller because it’s a new category which is completely green and safe. This certainly draws not only race car fans, but also fans of technology and environment as well,” he said.
“In terms of speed, it’s not too quick, but you need to be careful with your driving.
“Comparing it with the Formula One where every lap is a qualifying lap, the Formula E is a mental game that requires efficient driving. The communication between team and driver is also pivotal as you can only exercise a certain amount of battery during a race. The introduction of the FanBoost also gets fans involved and drives the competitors to push themselves.”
Piquet Jr, who finished eighth in the maiden race in Beijing, is also pinning on good weather come race day on Saturday.
“Wet conditions definitely make it harder and can affect the outcome of the race. I am hoping to compete in dry conditions, but will be prepared should the skies decide to open up,” he said.
